Many languages have untranslatable words – complex concepts enshrined in unique words that cannot be found in other idioms. Sotterraneo’s new theatre project is based on dozens of interviews, which have been carried out with native speakers from all over the world. Its aim is to analyse the meaning, usage and cultural context of these words. These short “lessons on untranslatability” have been transformed by choreographer and filmmaker Jacopo Jenna into an audiovisual story. ‘Pangea Calling’ is a drill in empathy towards cultural concepts and habits that are alien to us, but at the same time it hints at the willingness to establish interpersonal relations during this Coronavirus pandemic amongst members of a species called upon to cooperate on a global scale.

Crediti

concept Sotterraneo
video creation and editing Jacopo Jenna
with Mohamed Alhassane, Rosa Barotzi, Guilherme Carriço, Sandy Ceesay, Nita Chivwara, Maria de la Luz Ortiz, Linus Digim’Rina, Jennifer El Hage, Lukas Fischer, Pualilia Hanamaikaʻi, Mahmoud Ibrahim, Maggie Kahoilua, Maikku Anneli Kaislasuo, Denis Kargaev, Tanya Karhaieva, Jason Kass, Marlena Kressin, Erin Maddocks, Carmela Mastrangelo, Gabrielle McGinnis, Gianni Morelenbaum, Kurumi Nakamura, Miguel Oyarzun, Karan Pratap Rishi Singh, Alejandra Regúnaga, Marina Tanaka, Floor Robert, Dewi Sartika, Yingnan Tian, Vote Ubisi, Antonio Vergne Vicente

production Sotterraneo
contribution of Mibac, Regione Toscana, Fondazione CR Firenze, Inverno Fiorentino

thanks to Consolato Onorario della Repubblica di Indonesia in Firenze per Toscana ed Emilia Romagna