advertisement
Thu, Feb 09 2012
Mogilino, lost in translation
Ever since the film premiered in September 2007, Bulgaria's Abandoned Children by British director Kate Blewett has provoked strong reactions - in the UK, across Europe and in Bulgaria. Bulgarian reactions have repeatedly accused Blewett of being unfair and manipulative.
The Sofia Echo reviewed the 88-minute version of the film that is available online at Google video, which appears to be a recording of the BBC4 broadcast to try and make an assessment of the Bulgarian claims.
The film opens with a 19-second-long shot of one of the children in a foetal position, rocking back and forth, while humming: "Mmm-mm-mm-mm-mmmmmmm. Mmmmmmm mmmm."
In an interview with Belgium television Kanaal Een (Channel One), Blewett says she asked her interpreter what the child was singing. According to Blewett, she was told it was a children's song called Dear, Dear Mummy.
The song she is referring to is Мила моя мамо (My Dear Mummy), which Blewett uses several times in the film. It, though, has a different melody, intonation and rhythm from what the child is humming. My Dear Mummy has a structure of six syllables per sentence, while the child hums in what appear to be five and two syllable sentences.
Two shots later, we meet Didi, one of the girls in the home. Didi says: "Тука са само увредени деца, не могат да говорят" (Here are only children with disabilities, they cannot speak). The film's subtitles however, translate this as "This is a sanctuary for the damaged."
Fifty four seconds into the film, the opening title starts.
What follows is 87 minutes filled with mostly monologue by Blewett. By presenting the entire story only in her own words, Blewett gives the viewer no way to verify what she presents as facts.
At two minutes and 40 seconds into the film, we meet Vaski. Vaski is, we are told, blind and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, "a condition many are labelled with here", Blewett says.
At eight minutes into the film, Didi, who is "mildly autistic but otherwise normal", according to Blewett, describes her relation with the other children in the home and why they don't play with her.
She says: "Тук никой не може да говори. Тука са само увредени деца и не могат да говорят" (Here no one can speak. Here there are only children with disabilities and they cannot speak). This is translated as "The other children here are not like me, they are disturbed". For the full duration of this specific subtitle, we see three of the other children in a row, rocking back-and-forth in their chairs.
At 23 minutes into the film, Blewett has asked for the medical record of one of the boys, Milen. Unthinkable in any medical institution in the UK, but Blewett appears to find it normal and shares the content of the record with the viewer.
Milen has oligophrenia. According to Blewett, oligophrenia is "not a diagnosis that is used in the West. It is a very broad label (again the use of the word label), created in the Soviet era. It ... was often used for the warehousing of dissidents in mental asylums".
According to US-based Center for Cognitive-Developmental Assessment and Remediation, oligophrenia is the Russian medical term for congenital mental retardation, with three severity levels and further classification into different types.
At 72 minutes into the film, Blewett interviews the nurses. In a dramatic shot she has 11-year-old Stoyan sitting in her lap, she says "I've come to see Stoyan six or seven times now. And when I look at him and I see, he is, he is dying, as far as I'm concerned." Blewett's word were translated into Bulgarian for the nurses by the interpreter who sat next to Blewett and Stoyan. Stoyan was blind, but not deaf.
The nurses tell Blewett that they are expected to feed and wash the children, so this is what they do. Later Blewett told Kanaal Een "I can understand how a member of staff would feel, well, I'm not being paid for this so I just do the minimum I need to."
Is the film slanted or manipulated? Although the film contains only small pieces of Bulgarian text, it does contain several mistakes which can hardly be accidental. In Bulgarian "увредени деца" is the normal politically correct term for handicapped children. To translate it as "damaged" and "disturbed" could be interpreted as manipulative. Repeated reference to Bulgarian diagnoses as "labelling" and the association of the diagnoses with dissidents in Soviet asylums is misleading and shows contempt.
Though nothing can justify what has happened to these children, the film would have made more impact if Blewett had just shown the images.
Rene Beekman has been a video editor, mainly for reportage and documentaries for television in the Netherlands, for more than 10 years.
-
Print
-
Send via email
- Translate to
-
Share:
Comments
To post comments, please, Login or Register.
Please read the The Sofia Echo forum comments policy.
European Parliament approves translation rights for EU citizens in criminal trials
Under the rules, fore example, a British football fan arrested in Portugal would have the right to interpretation during police questioning, court hearings and communications with his lawyer. All essential documents would also have to be translated.
Blewett revisited
Blewett's latest production on the lives of former Mogilino inmates, shows that it is not just the children that have undergone impressive transformations.
BBC to show Blewett’s sequel to documentary about Bulgaria’s Mogilino
Eighteen months after her documentary about the Mogilino children’s home in Bulgaria that caused an outcry about the treatment of the children, independent film-maker Kate Blewett has produced a sequel, to be shown on BBC4 on October 15 2009.
Institutionalisation of children is unnecessary, claims campaigner
Leading fundraiser slams Bulgaria for the "inhumanity" of its children's homes and calls for reappraisal by government and families
More in this category
Winter weather as archaeologist: Roman building found near Bulgaria's Bourgas
The discovery was made after some of the land in a complex near Bourgas was washed away by rough seas.
Weather crisis disrupts train travel in Bulgaria
No trains could cross the Danube Bridge and passengers from international trains were being taken to the city of Rousse by road transport.
Bulgaria faces further fatal freeze a day after Black Sea devastation
Hazardous weather warnings across the country on February 9, new record-low temperatures, and three people reported frozen to death in Pernik.
Bulgarian Parliament passes controversial Forestry Act amendments
Opposition parties and environmental protection NGOs argued that this and other provisions were the result of lobbyist pressure from ski resort operators.
Bulgaria, Romania suspend shipping on Danube River
Ferry-boat service between the Bulgarian and Romanian banks of the river may continue if the ferry captains decide that the weather conditions allow the safe passage of the boats.
© 2000-2012, Sofia Echo Media Ltd.
Web Design by RIZN
Sofia Echo Media is part of the Economedia Group.
The news and information content on this website is provided by our editorial team and is copyrighted.
Any unauthorised reproduction or use of it is strictly forbidden. Reproduction of this website's content is permitted only
with prior written permission from the Editor-in-Chief, should be propertly acredited and provide an active link back to our site.
Comments posted by the website's visitors are independent of the editorial materials and do not represent the views of sofiaecho.com.
Sofia Echo Media cannot be held responsible for the statements contained in visitor comments.
The percentаge change in the shares' prices are based on the price of the last transaction of the current session compared to the
price of the last transaction of the previous session. Bulgarian Stock Exchange data is not real-time, but updated every 15 minutes,
and should not be used as a basis for decisions about buying or selling stock options.
- Economedia Group portfolio:
- In Bulgarian:
-
Business:
Капитал,
Кариери,
Пазари,
Ho Re Mag,
Регал,
Градът.bg,
Одит,
Foton.bg,
Online shop
- News: Дневник, Европа, Foreign Policy - България
- IT: IDG.BG, Computerworld, PC World, CIO, Networkworld
- Entertainment: Бакхус
-
In English:
The Sofia Echo
Taking into account the discrepencies outlined by Rene - I personally recognise that yes there may well have some errors during transaltion. I question whether or not there was intent, or in fact just up to interpretation of the person doing the 'interpreting'. Tone, body language a just a few factors which can alter ones perception. I don't speak the native language, so in essence I have no idea - but thats a few things to consider.
I do disagree with the final statement made by Rene 'Though nothing can justify what has happened to these [...]
Read the full comment children, the film would have made more impact if Blewett had just shown the images.'
Certainly - NOTHING justifies the treatment these children were subjected to. However, Kates' dialogue provides the human emotion of someone being presented with this situation. She did well to compose herself enough to present what she did.
Lost in translation - I really don't think so. No matter what way you present this, you'd be hard pressed to show it as an 'unfair' assessment of the treatment of these children. In my opinion, the Director, Carers and Council responsible for the delivery of this service should be brought to account.
What a disgrace! I cannot even begin to comprehend how a person could walk passed a single one of those childrens malnourished little bodies and not want to do something to improve their situation.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained off-topic content
@ Julia Stillig
Two facts:
1. The film contained translation errors.
2. Rene Beekman is not now, and never has been, in charge of a children's home, let alone this one. He wrote this article in his capacity as a journalist.
TRANSLATION ERRORS are NOT the problem here, if you cant see that you are as incompetent as the leader of the childrens home! Mistakes were made as I could read, but please FOCUS on what is important here! I am appalled by your article!
My God! I really wish everyone in the
whole world could watch this film. Heartbreaking, these children are
dying, slowly, slowly and yet you
find it in yourself to worry about
translation errors. Shame on you!
Pictures don´t lie...
I completely disagree with the author of this article when she said it would have had more impact if Kate had of just shown the images. At least with some of the children speaking we are aware that the children can speak at all. Anyone can look at a picture or footage of a child in distress, but to get a glimpse into their life and be aware that 'they' are aware of what is happening to them is more powerful than anything. I would like to ask the author what motivated her to write this article in the first [...]
Read the full comment place.
Great work Kate Blewett. I thank God people like you have the energy and courage to denounce such horrific situations. How many others still exist everywhere in the world? Thank you again.
The translation makes NO difference here. In any language, in any translation, the images send the same message: these children were treated as though they were worthless. No one needs words to see plainly that a child has a broken leg, is screaming in pain, and she is ignored. A child is so malnourished he can barely stand and his pelvic bones are protruding from his backside. Numerous children spend the day sitting naked on a potty and their diet consists of what looks like a watery broth, a hunk of bread and a bowl of paste-like porridge. Starvation and [...]
Read the full comment neglect need no words. Rene Beekman's lame attempt at discounting the fact that this film was ON TARGET and needed to be made is laughable, pointless, and requires absolute rejection. The apathy of these so-called caregivers is beyond cruel. I hope they are held accountable for assisting in the destruction of the one life each of these kids was given. Thank you, Kate Blewett. I think of the children of Mogilino many times each day, and I have kept them in my prayers. I hope they have found new lives with compassionate people who see in them all the potential they carry within, as you did. Your work was of great importance.
I agree with Dolly, This film is so emotionally disturbing I cannot believe how Kate could speak about all the dreadful things done to these trajic trajic children,so she made a few mistakes. I watched this film two years ago and I cried for months, still do. At least Kate's out there making things better for these kids. Bulgarians did nothing but complain and make excuses after this was shown.They were hugely embarrassed. I was going to go to Bulgaria on holiday with my children. I would have hated every second thinking of those poor children SHAME ON THEM.
Kicking them out the EU is not the answer, these countries need the wealth generated by it to in time help these children, making the country poorer and more isolated is a sure way to make the situation worse!
Is this some kind of joke just to make people angry and feel like ripping your head off ?. dosnt matter how it was said or done this woman has helped these children have a better life.and i bet u didnt even donate to the cause.
Kicking Bulgaria out of the EU wouldn't help the kids. I'm just glad the children are getting better care. We should all do our share to help vulnerable people.
I have followed this story for the past 2 years since i first sore the video in 2007, no matter what the translation is, the fact that they have improved since the first showing of this film is amazing, its all down to people power and the fact that the film was made, other wise they would still be in that hell hole and no body would know how they are surviving day to day,,,
Well done Kate for making the filmn.
HI the programme that the bbc should have been broadcast as much as possible to highlight the suffering and pain that them carers and the people in charge should face charges under the european union law and should be put behinfd bars for the life spell of them poor children abuse my GOD wake up out there lets give more help and thank goodness for Kate the only woman to take on ajob that no other dame person had the balls to do in this country of Bulgaria lets get more help to all these poor children a very angry [...]
Read the full comment and saddened person to say were from a european country.
Don't turn this into an academic exercise. The suffering of those children transcends language. Listen instead to the anguish in their cries and look into their eyes where no light shines. Thank God for people like Kate Blewett who went through her own emotional pain to make this film.
What does it matter if the film was mistranslated!! Kate has done a fantastic job of broadcasting the facts.... Bulgaria is corrupt and they are allowing their children to be neglected in such a way.
no, the author if this article DID NOT miss the point. the evils of the mogilino home have been well-described elsewhere. the point YOU seem to have missed, george, jo, ash etc, is that slanted journalism does no service to the necessity to expose the truth. no matter how much the film-maker/writer/whatever personally disapproves of the situation the he/she is reporting on, journalistic integrity must never be allowed to lapse. it's exactly that integrity that you people are taking for granted when you rant so emotively about the content- without being prepared to brook any analysis of the process of [...]
Read the full comment the reportage. this is a typically insular vision you unthinkingly promote.
how fortunate we native english speakers are that we're powerful enough to be the mistranslators of other people's languages, and not directly affected by their mistranslations of ours.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained
You missed the point, translation aside, the situation is unacceptable.
The director is stealing the money and the fat hellfodder "carers" are eating up the food meant for the children. Bulgaria should be kicked out of the EU immediately and not allowed back in for the next 500 years.
I totally agree with you Ash.
Shame on you people who do not see what is the real problem.....
it is true that there are some errors in the translation and i also think some parts of the film are excessively dramatized. while it is true that the treatment of those children can be much better, who is guilty of them being born like that AND abandoned?
you idiot, with words or not words, you're looking at faults in the film???? did u just look for mistakes and ignore the horrible treatment the kids were getting?
My god, you're writing as if you went to see a movie on saturday with friends when you were in a bad mood, so all you could come up with is critisism. I HATE people like you!