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Bee Season ()


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Wife and mother Miriam begins a downward emotional spiral as her husband avoids their collapsing marriage by immersing himself in his 11-year-old daughter's quest to become a spelling-bee champion.

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Saul
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Miriam
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Eliza
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Aaron
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Chali
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National Spelling Bee Pronouncer
Sam Zuckerman ...
National Spelling Bee Judge
Joan Mankin ...
Ms. Bergermeyer
Piers Mackenzie ...
Dr. Morris
Lorri Holt ...
Ms. Rai
Brian Leonard ...
Mr. Julien
Jamal Thornes ...
Wiseacre Boy's Mate
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Regional Bee Pronouncer
John Evans ...
Regional Bee Judge
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Young Miriam
John R. Searle ...
Self
Seamus Genovese ...
Priest
Andrew Murray ...
Young Aaron
Dik Martin ...
State Bee Pronouncer (as Dick Martin)
Olivia Charles ...
State Bee Judge
Sujata Balu ...
Indian Woman
Steven Anthony Jones ...
Sergeant
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Nurse
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Hotel Housekeeper
Robyn Blair ...
Melanie
Justin Alioto ...
Kevin
Alex Keel ...
Sinna Bhagudori
Justin Ping Yuan ...
Li Chan
Anthony Ybarra ...
'Sequel' Speller
Ben Johnson ...
'Orangutan' Speller
Taylor Kane ...
'Coyote' Speller
Derek Wong ...
'Oasis' Speller
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'Usurper' Speller (as Sophie Tamiko Oda)
Anand Zala ...
'Staccato' Speller
Samuel Richman ...
'Hoodlum' Speller
Shawn H. Smith ...
'Macrame' Speller (as Shawn Smith)
Mickey Boxell ...
'Lorgnette' Speller
Maya Ramchandran ...
'Daguerreotype' Speller
Neil Chalaka ...
'Glissando' Speller
Gaayatri Kaundinya ...
'Selenic' Speller
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'Duvetyn' Speller
Nikil Balakrishnan ...
'Peripatetic' Speller
Isaiah Aglibot Bryant ...
'Thoracic' Speller
Alison Doyle ...
National Spelling Bee Winner
Emily Trumble ...
'Iridian' Speller
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'Ecchymosis' Speller
Simon M. Ehrlich ...
'Succotash' Speller
Nick Taber ...
'Abiogenist' Speller
Gautam Krishnamurthi ...
'Strongylid' Speller
Corey Rateau ...
'Noctivagant' Speller
Patricia R. Floyd ...
Voice Actor (voice)
Timothy Gulan ...
Voice Actor (voice)
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Voice Actor (voice)
Jennifer Perito ...
Voice Actor (voice)
Kristin Reeves ...
Voice Actor (voice)
Rose Stockton ...
Voice Actor (voice)
Marlon Suson ...
Voice Actor (voice)
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Voice Actor (voice)
Arden Winant ...
Voice Actor (voice)
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Voice Actor (voice)
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Special Voicing (voice)
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Special Voicing (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Bee Season #1
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Spelling Bee Parent
Helen Amey ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Audience Member (uncredited)
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Spelling Bee Student (uncredited)
Diane Anderson-Minshall ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Lab Assistant (uncredited)
Christa Bella ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Eliza's Classmate (uncredited)
Chandler Bolt ...
Student (uncredited)
Mike Borg ...
Bee Contestant's Father (uncredited)
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Spelling Bee Contestant (uncredited)
Cynthia Brian ...
Librarian (uncredited)
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Photographer (uncredited)
Alex Couey ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Spelling Bee Student (uncredited)
Michael Dunn ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
April Eaton ...
Spelling Bee Contestant (uncredited)
Cathy Fithian ...
Elevator Mom (uncredited)
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Comfort Counselor (uncredited)
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Self (uncredited)
Johnny Guerra ...
Spelling Bee Audience (uncredited)
Juan Guerra ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Brandon Haas ...
Spelling Bee Student (uncredited)
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Bell Judge (uncredited)
Karina Hsieh ...
Spelling Bee Contestant (uncredited)
Mason Hsieh ...
Nervous Spelling Bee contestant (uncredited)
Kevin Jaskela ...
Family Member (uncredited)
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Yuppy Dad (uncredited)
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Father (uncredited)
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Audience Member (uncredited)
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Patient (uncredited)
Thomas Loher ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Annie Lore ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Jules McClellan ...
Lady in audience (uncredited)
Florentine Mocanu ...
Nurse (uncredited)
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Classroom Student (uncredited)
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Student (uncredited)
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Congressman (uncredited)
David Alan Poe ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Pat Ridley ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
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Spelling Bee Student #73 (uncredited)
Jennifer Robertson ...
Family Member (uncredited)
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Kabbalah Student (uncredited)
Michael Sandow ...
(uncredited)
Peggy Sandow ...
Mother (uncredited)
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Self (uncredited)
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Student (uncredited)
Lorraine Stuart ...
Audience Member (uncredited)
Marisa Swain ...
Student (uncredited)
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Student (uncredited)
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Parent (uncredited)
Kuvaleshaya Zakheim ...
Hare Krishna Temple Greeter (uncredited)

Directed by

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Scott McGehee
David Siegel

Written by

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Myla Goldberg ... (novel)
 
Naomi Foner ... (screenplay) (as Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal)

Produced by

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Albert Berger ... producer
Rachel Hudgins ... associate producer
Arnon Milchan ... executive producer
Peggy Rajski ... executive producer
Mark Romanek ... executive producer
Howard R. Schuster ... financier
Mike Topoozian ... associate producer
Ron Yerxa ... producer

Music by

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Peter Nashel

Cinematography by

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Giles Nuttgens

Editing by

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Lauren Zuckerman

Editorial Department

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Andrew Brotzman ... post-production assistant
Fred Chandler ... post production executive
Jason Crump ... colorist: dailies
Kiersten Harter ... second assistant editor
Abbi Jutkowitz ... apprentice editor
Mato ... color timer
Tanya Smith ... post-production assistant
Martin Walsh ... additional editor
Shelly Westerman ... associate editor
Lonnie A. Mathes ... post-production assistant (uncredited)

Casting By

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Robin Gurland
Mindy Marin

Production Design by

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Kelly McGehee

Art Direction by

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Michael E. Goldman

Set Decoration by

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Kris Boxell

Costume Design by

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Mary Malin

Makeup Department

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Catherine Childers ... hair department head
LuAnn Claps ... makeup artist: Mr. Gere & Ms. Binoche
Gretchen Davis ... makeup artist
Peggy Forcellini ... hair stylist
Mindy Hall ... makeup department head
Lyndell Quiyou ... hair designer: Mr. Gere & Ms. Binoche
Yvette Rivas ... hair stylist
Sherri Bramlett ... hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management

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Brian Benson ... production supervisor
Stuart Macphee ... post-production supervisor
Susan McNamara ... unit production manager
Katia Milani ... post-production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Michael McCue ... second second assistant director
Frank Simeone ... additional second second assistant director
Gregory Kent Simmons ... second assistant director
Mike Topoozian ... first assistant director
Ken Twohy ... crowds assistant director

Art Department

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Susan Alegria ... assistant art director: Miriam's project
Nate Belove ... on-set dresser
Kate Bernier ... art department production assistant
Aric Cheng ... set designer
Richard W. Clot ... propmaker
Nick D'Abo ... propmaker (as Nick d'Abo)
Dale Haugo ... lead scenic artist
Sean House ... additional assistant property master
Mark Kessler ... propmaker
John Lister ... set dresser
David Loya ... art department production assistant
Patrick Ludden ... property master
Mark Luevano ... construction foreman
Bill McGirr ... set dresser
Doni McMillan ... leadman (as Donald McMillan)
Craig Mohagen ... construction coordinator
Annie Mueller ... assistant property master
Katsuhiko Okada ... propmaker
John Oster ... propmaker
Dwane Platt ... set dresser
Chuck Ray ... construction foreman
Tom Richardson ... scenic artist
Victor Salazar ... shop laborer
Gretchen Scharfenberg ... props
Ken Sly ... property maker
Russell Souza ... propmaker foreman
Kana Takahashi ... art department coordinator / graphic designer
Mark Warren ... set dresser
Jody Weisenfeld ... lead greens person
Nancy Wenz ... associate set decorator (as Nanci Wenz)
Doug E. Williams ... construction coordinator
Lauren Abrams ... painter (uncredited)
Carol Chow ... art department production assistant (uncredited)
Virginia Hopkins ... painter (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Stephen Balliet ... sound
Ben Barker ... sound editor
Michael Barry ... re-recording mixer
Ryan Collison ... foley engineer
Brian Copenhagen ... utility sound
Lee Herrick ... dialog & adr editor
Dan Korintus ... dialogue editor
Tony Martinez ... adr dialogue supervisor
Brendan Nicholson ... preview re-recording mixer
Mike Patrick ... sound recordist
Jay Peck ... foley artist
Jacob Ribicoff ... sound effects editor
Jac Rubenstein ... dialogue editor
Warren Shaw ... re-recording mixer / supervising sound editor
Jason Stasium ... digital recordist
Nelson Stoll ... production sound mixer / sound mixer
Eric Strausser ... assistant sound editor
John Soukup ... sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Matt Heron ... special effects coordinator
Sean House ... special effects technician

Visual Effects by

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Will Cunningham ... effects technical director
Kent Demaine ... visual effects supervisor: Black Box Digital
Ivan DeWolf ... sequence lead: Martian Labs
John Furniotis ... visual effects
Max Harris ... flame compositor: Blackbox Digital
Karin Levinson ... visual effects producer: Black Box Digital
Tom Nixon ... digital artist
Will Robbins ... visual effects supervisor: Black Box Digital
Deborah Ross ... visual effects consultant
Miguel A. Salek ... compositor
Christina Garberson ... visual effects executive (uncredited)
Andrew A. Paules ... visual effects artist (uncredited)

Stunts

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Rocky Capella ... stunt coordinator
Thomas M. Ficke ... stunt coordinator (as Tom Ficke)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Joseph J. Allen ... grip
James Beaumonte ... company grip
Phil Bray ... still photographer
Dave Childers ... key grip
Gregory M. Childers ... grip
Ian Chriss ... electrician
Gregory Collis ... grip
Louis DiCesare ... gaffer
Patrick Figueroa ... best boy grip
Jeph Folkins ... additional camera loader
Richard Foreman Jr. ... still photographer
Tim Guffin ... assistant camera
Leslie Hamilton ... second assistant camera
Chris Hayes ... camera operator
John Lacy ... best boy electric
Mary Ellen Mark ... still photographer
Patrick McArdle ... first assistant camera
Gary McClendon ... electrician
Mark Nakahara ... electrician
Andy Neddermeyer ... 24 frame video operator
Phil Pastuhov ... aerial director of photography
Duane Robinson ... key rigging grip: San Francisco
Mike Scanlon ... electrician
Kevin Schlack ... grip
Chris Shellenberger ... electrician
Sophie Shellenberger ... rigging electrician
John Spezzano ... dolly grip
Terry Sullivan ... electrician
Ricky Tayerle ... electrician
Paige Thomas ... additional first assistant camera
John Trunk ... video assist operator
Louis Visco ... electrician
Mark Walpole ... camera assistant: Washington D.C.
Lou Weinert ... camera operator
Mark Sheets ... rigging grip (uncredited)
Todd Stoneman ... electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department

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Aisha Coley ... casting executive
Colleen Kenneavy ... extras casting
Cash Oshman ... president: Big Crowds
Cathy Weiner ... casting assistant
Bruce Winant ... adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Michael Becker ... set costumer
Mickey Carleton ... costume supervisor
Tabitha Johnson ... wardrobe production assistant
Jessa Santens ... wardrobe production assistant
Valerie White ... set costumer

Location Management

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Rory Enke ... location manager
Felix Gehm ... assistant location manager
Rowdy Kelley ... assistant location manager
Jonathan Shedd ... location manager
Nancy Wong ... key assistant location manager (as Nancy K. Wong)
Cathryn Blum ... location scout (uncredited)
Kris Butler ... location assistant (uncredited)
Peter Moody ... location scout (uncredited)
Jonathan Reich ... location manager: Washington DC (uncredited)

Music Department

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Nancy Allen ... music editor
Christine Bergren ... music legal and clearance
Peter Clarke ... music editor: UK
Brian Deming ... additional score recordist
Tim Fain ... violin soloist
Joel Iwataki ... music score mixer
Kory Kruckenberg ... scoring assistant engineer
Annette Kudrak ... music editor
David Sabee ... orchestra contractor
Jason Stasium ... digital recordist
Adam Stern ... conductor
John Winters ... scoring crew
Thomas Cavanaugh ... music business & legal affairs (uncredited)
Danielle Diego ... music executive (uncredited)
Rebecca Morellato ... music production executive (uncredited)
Robert Puff ... music librarian (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Mary Cybulski ... script supervisor

Transportation Department

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John Bromstead ... driver
Robert aaron Brown ... driver / transportation
Lonnie Craig ... driver
David Joseph ... driver: production van
John R. Lopez ... driver
Derek Raser ... transportation coordinator
Frank Rocha ... transportation local captain

Additional Crew

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Carmen Alvarez ... project assistant: Miriam's Project
Karen Baker ... office production assistant
Dave Bennett ... completion bond representative
Mark Bosia ... medic coordinator
Jane Bulmer ... assistant: Mr. Milchan
Gino Caputi ... production assistant
Carol Chow ... project assistant: Miriam's Project
Brad Combs ... assistant: Mr. Milchan (as Michael Bradley Combs)
Michael Coons ... stand-in
Katherine Covell ... project assistant: Miriam's Project
Dante ... warm-up comic
Brad Davis ... production accountant
Sharlene Duale ... production coordinator
Ben Flax ... project assistant: Miriam's Project
Gabriel Foley ... ISKCON Consultant
Scott Foster ... production assistant: Washington D.C.
Jennifer Zolten Freed ... post-production accountant
Justin Freimann ... intern
Carolyn Fulkerson ... cello coach: Mr. Minghella
Peggy Hall ... dialect coach: Ms. Binoche (as Peggy Hall-Plessas)
Bill Hart ... acting coach: Ms. Cross
Kennedy Heidel ... stand-in
Ledi Imeraj ... stand-in
Karen Jine ... production office assistant
Cory Johnson ... production assistant
Paul Kenney ... assistant accountant
Mike Kohl ... production assistant
Shannon Kors ... assistant: Mr. McGehee and Mr. Siegel
Robert Lane ... first assistant accountant
Catherine Leyba ... assistant production coordinator
Stephen Lippross ... post-production accountant
David Loya ... project assistant: Miriam's Project
Andrew Magarian ... acting coach
Danielle McKee ... production assistant
Dave Moorer ... set medic
Mark Moran ... associate to producers
Cindy Nevins ... payroll accountant
Suzanne Ornstein ... violin coach: Mr. Gere
Mike Phillips ... helicopter pilot
Michelle Pizanis ... set production assistant
Geof Prysirr ... acting coach: Ms. Cross
Sandy Reed ... head craft service
Brad Robinson ... set production assistant
Jean-Louis Rodrigue ... movement specialist: Juliette Binoche
Deborah Ross ... title designer
Scott Sandine ... set medic
Mitch Sisskind ... guide: Kabbalah
Christina Soletti ... clearance coordinator / research consultant
Staci Southwick ... project assistant: Miriam's Project
TreJulie Stamos ... assistant production coordinator: pre-production
Alysa Sun ... production assistant
Deborah Sussel ... dialect coach: Mr. Minghella
Sean Kevin Sweeney ... production assistant
Jassen Todorov ... violin coach: Mr. Gere
Michael Umble ... publicist
Drew Vandervelde ... production coordinator: Washington DC
Christine Wilcock ... production office assistant
Dave Willis ... production assistant
Rachel Willis ... stand-in
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc ... helicopter pilot (as Robert M. Zajonc)
Kuvaleshaya Zakheim ... ISKCON Consultant
Kevin Zelman ... additional set production assistant
Ami Zins ... film commissioner
Jonathan Zurer ... producer: Washington D.C.
Christie Christl ... VP Feature Estimating (uncredited)
Howard R. Schuster ... financing (uncredited)

Thanks

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Anthony Minghella ... very special thanks
Jae Song ... special thanks

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

The Naumanns of Oakland, California are outwardly a loving, supportive family. Husband and father Saul is a Religious Studies professor who looks to his religious training in Judaism as tenets by which to raise his family and has high expectations for all of them. His midteen son Aaron idolizes his father and does everything to please him. His preteen daughter Eliza often feels neglected. So when Saul learns that Eliza is participating and excelling in spelling bees, she becomes the focus of his life as he believes that letters in the form of words will lead to answers to the universe. That change in focus to Eliza makes Aaron feel neglected now, and he strikes out quietly in his own way with help from Chali, a young woman he meets. But the person who has felt the most pressure within Saul's way of life is his wife Miriam, a microbiologist who converted from Catholicism to Judaism when she and Saul married. But as Saul espouses the concept of tikkun olam, bringing together the shards of the world to make it whole, it affects Miriam negatively in trying to cope with an incident from her childhood. Through it all, Eliza might understand her father's way of life the best, and use it in an unexpected way to bring her family back together. Written by Huggo

Plot Keywords
Taglines Words may define us, but it's love that connects us. See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Die Buchstabenprinzessin (Germany)
  • Les mots retrouvés (France)
  • L'empremta del silenci (Spain, Catalan title)
  • La huella del silencio (Spain)
  • La huella del silencio (Spain, Castilian title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 104 min
Official Sites
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $14,000,000 (estimated)
Cumulative Worldwide Gross $4,432,349, 02 Feb 2006

Did You Know?

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Trivia Dakota Fanning was originally supposed to play Eliza, but directors selected Flora Cross because she looked so much more like Juliette Binoche. See more »
Goofs When Aaron goes to church, after the priest says "This is the Lamb of God...etc" Catholics should answer: "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed". People in the church do not respond to the priest, but go directly to receive Communion, and it is very clear that the ceremony going on is Catholic. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Episode #2.41 (2005). See more »
Soundtracks Partita in B Minor BWV 1002 Sarabande See more »
Quotes Saul: There are people who believe that letters are an expression of a very special primal energy and when they combine to make words they hold all the secrets of the universe...
Saul: Remember the Vikings?
Saul: [Takes a green apple] OK, Vikings called this "aepli".
Saul: Now when they took it across the sea in their ships it became "apfel".
Saul: Crossed another border, it became "appel".
Saul: By the time it got to us it was "apple".
Saul: Its spelling contains all of that.
Saul: It holds its history inside it.
See more »

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