The Secret Life of Words (2005)

Director:

Isabel Coixet

Guionista:

Isabel Coixet (writer)

Release Date:

21 octubre 2005 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A hearing impaired factory worker gives up her first holiday in years and instead travels out to an oil rig, where she cares for a man suffering from severe burns.

Plot Keywords:

Female Nudity | Nurse Patient Relationship | Oil Rig | Burn | Doctor

Awards:

21 wins & 14 nominations

Comentarios de los usuarios:

Secret's Poetry

Cast

Sarah Polley	...	Hanna
Tim Robbins	...	Josef
Sverre Anker Ousdal	...	Dimitri (as Sverre Ousdal)
Javier Cámara	...	Simon
Danny Cunningham	...	Scott
Dean Lennox Kelly	...	Liam (as Dedan Lenox Kelly)
Emmanuel Idowu	...	Abdul
Eddie Marsan	...	Victor
Steven Mackintosh	...	Doctor Sulitzer
Julie Christie	...	Inge
Reg Wilson	...	Factory Manager
Leonor Watling	...	Josef's friend's wife
Daphne Brown	...	Old Lady on Bus
Muriel Hobson	...	Old Lady on Bus
Joshua Miligan	...	Child
Sheelagh Smith	...	Child
listado alfabético del resto del reparto:
Daniel Mays	...	Martin (uncredited)
Peter Wright	...	Dullman (uncredited)

Dirigida por
Isabel Coixet

Créditos del guión (in alphabetical order)
Isabel Coixet		writer

Producida por
Agustín Almodóvar	....	executive producer
Pedro Almodóvar	....	executive producer
Brendan J. Byrne	....	producer: UK
Mauricio Díez	....	executive producer
Esther García	....	producer
Colin McKeown	....	line producer: UK
Javier Méndez	....	associate producer
Jaume Roures	....	executive producer
Miss Wasabi	....	associate producer

Fotografía por
Jean-Claude Larrieu		(director of photography) (as Jean Claude Larrieu)

Montaje por
Irene Blecua

Casting
Shaheen Baig

Diseño de producción por
Pierre-François Limbosch

Diseño de vestuario por
Tatiana Hernández

Departamento de maquillaje
Ainhoa Eskisabel	....	hair stylist
Ana López Puigcerver	....	makeup artist (as Ana Lopez-Puigcerver)
Ana López Puigcerver	....	special makeup effects artist (as Ana López-Puigcerver)
Ana Urosa	....	makeup assistant

Dirección de producción
Nicolás Tapia	....	production manager

Ayudante de dirección
Victor Cuadrado	....	third assistant director
Darren Fee	....	third assistant director: UK
Laia Piñol	....	third assistant director
Jesús Salcedo	....	third assistant director
Andrew Tohill	....	trainee assistant director: UK
Dani Torres	....	first assistant director
Fernando Trullols	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Alicia Arias	....	scenic painter
Stephen Aspley	....	swing gang: UK
Jim Barr	....	on-set dresser: UK
Samanta Biurrun	....	props assistant
Shane Bunting	....	prop buyer: UK
Adam Copper	....	swing gang: UK
Beverly Craig	....	scenic painter: UK
Jorge de Soto	....	second on-set dresser (as Jorge fernández de Soto)
Cole Doherty	....	construction manager: UK
Aude-Line Dutière	....	drawer
Victoria Gómez	....	art department trainee
Serafin González	....	on-set dresser
Shane Laverty	....	swing gang: UK
Sean McKeown	....	rigger: UK
Laura Musso	....	assistant set decorator
Ivan Nesbitt	....	swing gang: UK
Pilar Ordovás	....	property master (as Pilar Ordovas)
Montse Palacin	....	food stylist
Nigel Pollock	....	art director: UK
Sean Scott	....	scenic painter: UK
Paul Stewart	....	assistant art director: UK
Liam Taylor	....	rigger: UK
Ricard Zaplana	....	storyboard artist

Departamento de sonido
David Álvarez	....	assistant sound mixer: Spain (as David Alvarez)
Aitor Berenguer	....	sound
Juan Dibarboure	....	boom operator
Patrick Ghislain	....	sound re-recording mixer
Simon Kerr	....	boom operator: UK
Julien Martin	....	assistant sound
Julien Naudin	....	foley artist: Spain
Fabiola Ordoyo	....	sound editor
Deke Thompson	....	boom operator: UK

Visual Effects
Félix Bergés	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito
Montse Capdevila	....	digital compositor: Molinare (as Montserrat Capdevila)
Nacho Cepero	....	digital compositor: Molinare
Carlos Cervera	....	digital effects producer: Molinare
Eduardo Díaz	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito
Juancho Fernández	....	digital compositor: Molinare
David Flores de Vargas	....	digital transfer artist: Molinare
Carmen García	....	digital compositor: Molinare
Roberto Girón	....	infographist 3D artist: Molinare
Juanjo González	....	infographist 3D artist: Molinare
Ñaña González	....	digital compositor: Molinare
Tomás González	....	digital compositor: Molinare
Pablo Hernández-Meléndez	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito
Juancar Irarrazabal	....	digital compositor: Molinare
Javier Jiménez	....	digital timer: Molinare
Joaquín Jordán	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito
Edu Mateos	....	digital graphic artist: Molinare
Oceano Mateos	....	digital compositor: Molinare (as Océano Mateos)
Inma Nadela	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito
Guillermo Orbe	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito
Ferrán Piquer	....	digital effects supervisor: Molinare
Pablo Polo	....	digital effects producer: Milinare
Johnny Raphael	....	digital graphic artist: Molinare (as Johnny Raphael Sardi)
Thorsten Rienth	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito
Rubén Rivas	....	digital graphic artist: Molinare
Yela Román	....	digital effects producer: Molinare
Rafa Solorzano	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito (as Rafael Solórzano)
Carlos Trijueque	....	digital effects artist: El Ranchito

Camera and Electrical Department
Alberto Arnal	....	best boy electric
Miguel Ángel Bardavio	....	camera loader: second unit
Saturnino Beltrán	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Raymond Carlin	....	grip assistant: UK (as Ray Carlin)
Isabel Coixet	....	camera operator
Noah Davis	....	clapper loader: UK
Jesús Fernández	....	key grip
Juan Manuel García	....	best boy electric (as Juan Manuel Garcia)
Kiko Garcia	....	still photographer
Emile Girao	....	camera loader
Juan Carlos Gorriz	....	first assistant camera
Glynn Harrison	....	crane operator: UK
Isaías Ibáñez	....	gaffer
Conor Kelly	....	focus puller: UK
Brian Livingstone	....	electrician: UK
Steven Livingstone	....	electrician: UK
Sergio Mantecón	....	best boy electric
Brett McCrum	....	electrician: UK
Giancarlo McDonnell	....	electrician: UK (as Carlo McDonnell)
Enrique Pérez	....	best boy electric
José Manuel Reboul	....	best boy electric
Laura Sanchez-Vizcaino	....	video assist operator (as Laura Sánchez Vizcaino)

Casting Department
Ana Sanz	....	casting: Spain

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Agustín	....	assistant costume designer
Donna Hughes	....	costume assistant: UK
Genovera Leco	....	costumer
Roberto Marchetti	....	wardrobe assistant
Raimondo Rudilla	....	wardrobe assistant
Susan Scott	....	costume assistant: UK
Rachael Webb-Crozier	....	costume assistant: UK

Editorial Department
Felisa Catalinas	....	post-production coordinator
Noemí Dulau	....	scanner
Florencia Handler	....	scanner
David Rocher	....	color grader
Pilar Rodriguez	....	negative cutter
Óscar Romero	....	additional editor
María Jesús Sánchez	....	negative cutter (as Maria Sánches-Morate)
Georgia Wyss	....	additional editor

Music Department
Radoka Rapaic	....	vocal coach: Sarah Polley
Miss Wasabi	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Roy McManus	....	driver: cast

Otros miembros del equipo
Bárbara Peiró Aso	....	international relations
Yuyi Beringola	....	script supervisor
Bridgeen Bradley	....	unit nurse: UK
Brian Breathnach	....	runner: UK
Brian Breathnach	....	translator: UK
Michael Canning	....	production assistant: UK
Stephen Darragh	....	runner: UK
Adela Donamaría	....	production secretary
Patrick Duncan	....	extras coordinator: UK
Diego Farías	....	second production assistant (as Diego Farias)
Concha Fontenla	....	second production assistant
Covadonga R. Gamboa	....	production coordinator
Lola García	....	office manager (as Lola Garcia)
Javier Giner	....	international relations
Beatriz Gordo	....	assistant production accountant
Aaron Gray	....	location scout: UK
Simon MacDermott	....	animal handler: UK
Ascen Marchena	....	production coordinator
Sarah Louise Maskey	....	production accountant: UK
Joseph McAuley	....	production assistant: UK
Paddy McCarney	....	location manager: UK
Marisa Mohedano	....	production coordinator
Yuriria Montero	....	production assistant
Wally Mount	....	location assistant: UK
Rafael Pajares	....	second production assistant
Diego Pajuelo	....	financial manager
Deborah Palomo	....	publicist
Juan Lorenzo Prada	....	production assistant
Radoka Rapaic	....	dialect coach: Sarah Polley (as Radokja Rapaic)
Javier Ruiz	....	administration assistant
María Paz Sancho	....	receptionist
Silvia Sancho	....	assistant production accountant
Rosa María Serrano	....	administration assistant
Óscar Valero	....	production accountant (as Oscar Valero)
Nick Walker	....	location assistant: UK
Michelle Walsh	....	production coordinator: UK
Camille Watson	....	production assistant: UK
Aislinn Whyte	....	production coordinator: UK
Andrew Wilson	....	location manager: UK
Arancha Yusti	....	assistant production accountant (as Arancha Yuste)

Thanks
John Berger	....	dedicatee
Inge Genefke	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• El Deseo S.A.
• Hotshot Films
• Mediapro
• Televisión Española (TVE)

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Diaphana Films (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Focus Features (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Good Machine (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Impuls Home Entertainment (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Monopole-Pathé (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2005) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2005) (Romania) (all media)
• RCV Film Distribution (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Shaw Organisation (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Shochiku Company (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Shochiku Company (2007) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Strand Releasing (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• TOBIS Film (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)

Efectos especiales

• El Ranchito (special digital effects)
• Molinare (special digital effects)

Other Companies

• Autos Prado  transport: Spain
• Cinevent  insurance: Spain
• Coprisa  tax advisory and administration: Spain
• Cornejo  costumes: Spain
• EPC  camera systems: Spain
• Eastman Kodak  film: Spain
• Extras 2001  tax advisory and administration: Spain
• Focus Features  international sales
• Forma y Color  set construction: Spain
• G&H  transportation: UK
• Hotshot Films  production services: UK
• Iluminaciones Cinetel  grip and lighting equipment: Spain
• Legiscine  legal advisor: Spain
• Media Insurance Brokers  insurance: UK
• Megino S.L.  transportation: Spain (as Megino)
• Molinare  editing facilities: Spain
• Nexus 5  information technologies: Spain
• Rafael Hosteleria Internacional S.A.  catering: Spain (as Rafael)
• Simply Good Food  catering: UK
• Soundtrack  post-production audio: Spain
• Technicolor Madrid  laboratory services: Spain
• Technicolor  laboratory: UK
• Travel Store  travel: Spain
• VFG Hire  camera grip and lighting: UK
• Viajes Esmérita S.A.  travel: Spain (as Viajes Emérita)
• Video Efecto  editing facilities: Spain

También conocida como:

The Secret Life of Words (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Vida secreta de las palabras, La (Spain)
Vida secreta de les paraules, La (Spain: Catalan title)
Vida secreta de las palabras, La (International: Spanish title) [es]

Duración:

115 min

País:

Spain

Idioma:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sonido:

Dolby Digital

Clasificación:

Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:6 | Malaysia:U | Singapore:NC-16 | Hungary:16 | Argentina:13 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Netherlands:MG6 | Portugal:M/12 | South Africa:13L

Filming Locations:

Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Company:

El Deseo S.A.

Trivialidades:

The story about a nurse named Cora that Josef tells to Hanna is a short-story named "La señorita Cora" by argentinean writer Julio Cortázar from his book "Todos los fuegos el fuego".

Goofs:

Plot holes: If an employee requires medical treatment on an off-shore installation he would immediately be evacuated off.

Quotes:

Josef: I thought um, you and I, maybe we could go away somewhere. Together. One of these days. Today. Right now. Come with me.
Hanna: No, I don't think that's going to be possible.
Josef: Why not?
Hanna: Um, because I think that if we go away to someplace together, I'm afraid that, ah, one day, maybe not today, maybe, maybe not tomorrow either, but one day suddenly, I may begin to cry and cry so very much that nothing or nobody can stop me and the tears will fill the room and I won't be able to breath and I will pull you down with me and we'll both drown.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References "Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo" (1964)

Soundtrack:

Coming Back Down to Earth

Secret's Poetry

I went to see this last Isabel Coixet's movie three hours ago and its beautiful and powerful story is still bouncing in my head... the sea, Tim Robbin's eyes, Hanna's beautiful voice and her intense way of holding her feelings, Simon's delightful food in the middle of nowhere..

The way it is conceived is somehow simple, a mysterious woman, in my opinion extremely well resolved by Sarah Polley, happens to arrive to a remote place where a bunch of loners have just had a deep dramatic experience. As explicitly mentioned in the movie, 'God makes them..' ('Dios los cria'.., in Spanish), and so as she gets there she expands and relaxes in this environment where no one really expects anything from anybody.

The takes are so beautiful, the thousand different feelings that the same isolated landscape in the middle of the sea projects through the movie is unbeatable. The cast of characters is solid, and the supporting characters are developed enough so as to allow the viewer to understand, in basic terms, what brought them there.

Finally, the use of Tom Waits for the final transition is sublime! but, yeah, how could it not be? Tom Waits's music is the music for these films where the very deep of the heart is at stake.

So, yes, I do recommend this movie for anyone who cares or wants to care or would like to be able to care about people who have been profoundly wounded at some point. And this, I am afraid, hopefully includes you. Thanks Isabel.