I Dream in Another Language

Although the actors speak seemingly fluent Zikril, the language itself does not exist outside of the scope of the movie. Contreras wanted to use a separate language out of respect for those who still speak these disappearing languages. To do this, he hired a linguist[5] to create an entirely new alphabet and vocabulary and then teach it to the actors so that they could understand the tonalities and words to pass off as native speakers. Contreras also worked with the film's composer to create a lullaby in this fictional language. The film omits captions over conversations taking place in Zikril, except for certain moments, such as the very end when the two childhood friends make amends. The audience then becomes a part of the outsiders that view these two individuals.[2] This omission allows the film to not focus on the language, but on human connection and relationships.[2]  

"I Dream"'s storyline closely resembles a headline published in 2011 by The Guardian that reported a dying language in Mexico known as Ayapa Zoque that was doomed because the last two speakers had a grudge and wouldn't speak to each other.[6] This story, though untrue,[7] was reprinted globally in publications including Sydney Morning Herald[8] and Time Magazine.[9] The article highlights, however, many other dying indigenous languages.

A sub-plot throughout this film follows the history of the Spanish colonization of Veracruz and the missionaries that aimed at converting the locals to Catholicism and teaching them Spanish. This story draws upon the history of many indigenous peoples in Latin America, whose culture and languages were erased as a byproduct of colonialism,[10] and their people were forced to assimilate. Evaristo's granddaughter teaches English over the radio and hopes to live in America one day– she represents a new generation[11] of people that are trying to grasp ahold of a new language, English, just as her grandfather's generation tried to grasp Spanish in a changing world. Contreras comments that "it was an opportunity to speak not only about language but about a loss of an identity, we don’t realize when it happens in terms of culture, knowledge, roots, traditions, etc,”.[5]

In the film, the native people have a spiritual connection to the rainforest and its inhabitants– Zikril is the language that allows them to communicate with the jungle.[12] This communication is shown in a scene where the birds seemingly respond in conversation with a native speaker. Part of the film dives into their belief in the afterlife: in this fictional culture, it is believed that when a person is ready to leave this life they return to their ancestors in a mystical cave(El Encanto) in the forest. The end of the film highlights the use of magic realism[3] throughout this story: in the final scene we see Evaristo go to the cave to apologize to Isauro and proclaim his love, then in a surprising turn of events, Isauro responds and the two reunite in the afterlife.

The Journal of Religion and Film asserts that "It is not a documentary about disappearing languages but a whimsical fable about love and acceptance, framed in the context of post-colonial societies that seek to preserve their cultural beliefs and traditions." The choice to create a fictional language and culture shows Contreras' attempt to appreciate the value in traditions and history rather than to create political commentary[13]