Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation is a 2003 romantic comedy drama film written and directed by Sofia Coppola. Bill Murray stars as Bob Harris, a fading American movie star who is having a midlife crisis when he travels to Tokyo to promote Suntory whiskey. He befriends another disillusioned American, Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a recent college graduate and married for two years. Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris, and Fumihiro Hayashi are also featured. The film explores themes of alienation and disconnection against a backdrop of cultural displacement in Japan. It does not use mainstream narrative conventions and is atypical in its depiction of romance. Coppola started writing the film after spending time in Tokyo and becoming fond of the city. She began forming a story about two characters experiencing a "romantic melancholy" in the Park Hyatt Tokyo, where she stayed while promoting her first feature film, the 1999 drama The Virgin Suicides. Coppola envisioned Murray playing the role of Bob from the beginning and tried to recruit him for months. While Murray eventually agreed to play the part, he did not sign a contract. Coppola spent a quarter of the film's $4 million budget without knowing if he would arrive. Principal photography began on September 29, 2002, and lasted 27 days. Coppola kept a flexible schedule during filming with a small crew and minimal equipment. The screenplay was short and Coppola allowed significant improvisation during filming. The director of photography, Lance Acord, used available light where possible, and many Japanese places of business and public areas were used as locations. After 10 weeks of editing, Coppola sold distribution rights for the United States and Canada to Focus Features, and the company promoted the film through word of mouth. Lost in Translation premiered on August 29, 2003, at the Telluride Film Festival, and was distributed to American theatres on September 12, 2003. At the 76th Academy Awards, Lost in Translation won Coppola Best Original Screenplay, and the film was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor (Murray). Other accolades won include three BAFTAs and three Golden Globes. It has since been named one of the greatest films of the 2000s and 21st century. Despite grossing $118 million worldwide and receiving widespread critical acclaim for its writing, direction, and performances, the film's depiction of Japanese people drew several accusations of racism in both Japan and the United States, prompting a boycott of the 76th Academy Awards.