Over just a few decades, mankind has upset a balance built up during nearly 4 billion years of Earth’s evolution, and is thereby jeopardising the planet’s future. There is a heavy price to pay for this, “but it’s too late to be pessimistic” as Yann-Arthus Bertrand himself put it, in a sound bite that has become the credo of the film.
A well near Khudiala, India
© Film Home – a co-production of Elzévir Films / Europacorp
It was RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg that decided to translate Home into Letzeburgish. “Of course that entailed a major investment, but it was our way of ‘doing our bit’ and showing that we feel genuinely affected by environmental issues”, Steve Schmit, the TV station’s manager, told Backstage. “By presenting this wonderful documentary to our viewers in Luxembourg in their own language, we feel certain of reaching more people. When talking about his film, Yann Arthus-Bertrand said that people’s consciences needed to be pricked by beautiful, emotive images, because emotions are what genuinely touch us all. We are counting on the film’s narration in Letzeburgish unleashing such emotions in our viewers”, he added.
Sandy Lahure, the voiceover in luxembourgish of Home
The Letzeburgish voiceover was provided by Sandie Lahure, who was enthusiastic about talking to Backstage on Wednesday, 16 September. Clearly, Home has a special place in her heart. Sandie explained to us that she’s been with RTL’s Luxembourg TV station for 18 years now, where she is as passionate as ever about pursuing her career as a journalist and presenter. On RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg she’s in charge of a bi-monthly magazine on latest trends. Her voiceover work on Home was the first time she’d ever tried her hand at narration. To begin with, she told us, Steve Schmit wanted a male voice, like in the French version in which Yann-Arthus Bertrand’s voice can be heard. Meanwhile, she took care of the translation, which she wanted to be especially good in view of the importance of RTL’s clear objective: to win over as many viewers as possible to the cause advocated in the film. “You know, in so doing I really became one with the film”, she said. Noticing Sandie’s total commitment to the project, Steve Schmit offered her the chance to take her involvement further by doing the actual voiceover. “I was genuinely very proud to be entrusted with the job”, Sandie went on, admitting that the message of the film had touched her deeply. “Sometimes it made me feel sad, seeing some of the images of nature being destroyed, but happily the film ends on a positive note by saying that we can all do something ourselves and that we will succeed if we all act together”, she continued. Sandie was already aware of some environmental issues and scrupulously sorted her household rubbish, for example. But after watching the film she decided to change her car as well, opting for a more environmentally-friendly model. “The film is a wake-up call, bringing home the fact that we definitely have to change some aspects of our lifestyles, and we hope that its message will get through to viewers in Luxembourg”, she concluded. For the record, the English version was narrated by Glenn Close and the Spanish voiceover was provided by Salma Hayek.
RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg is by no means the only RTL Group subsidiary to have made a major effort to promote and disseminate the film: Others include the TV channels Club RTL in Belgium and N-TV in Germany, and the radio stations Bel RTL (Belgium) and RTL Radio France.
Shenzen, People’s Republic of China
© Film Home – a co-production of Elzévir Films / Europacorp
As you may well recall, on 5 June 2009, to mark World Environment Day, Home was released free of charge on television and the Internet, in cinemas and on DVDs and giant screens set up in public places, in 18 languages (now 19) in 136 countries. Footage was shot in 54 countries and the film was 3 years in the making. Its aim was to bring home a message, and rise to a mighty challenge. “If you ask people to change the way they live, you have to tell them why. That’s what this film was all about” according to Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Well, he most definitely rose to the task.
Teaser picture: Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
© Film Home – a co-production of Elzévir Films / Europacorp