Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. Belen is Argentina’s submission for the International Oscar at the 98th Academy Awards, and is being distributed by Amazon. However, Amazon did not pay for English audio description, only a dub was available.

I’m actually glad they did make a dub available at least, because I could follow this legal drama at least somewhat. I was planning on writing a scathing takedown of a corporation whose founder made enough money to launch his own space program, yet Belen can’t get audio description as Amazon’s lone International Oscar play.It was submitted for my consideration a while ago, without any secondary audio. It wasn’t until I checked Prime video that I noticed the dub was even available. I think directors have an aversion to dubbing, but it is at least some level of access for International film. Otherwise, I have to be fluent in some 50+ languages. I just simply can’t see the subtitles. It isn’t laziness, just simply access.

Belen probably won’t get the nomination, but it can still be enjoyed as a timely legal drama that works surprisingly well in our American political climate. Belen is about a woman who is experiencing tremendous pain, and heads to the hospital. Before being examined by the doctors, she stumbles into a bathroom where she’s surprised to find she’s miscarried. Instead of supporting her, she’s arrested for performing an illegal abortion, because the interpretation is that she must have known what was happening. She didn’t.

the film gets more interesting once she’s convicted, and another woman picks up the torch and running with it. Eventually, the plan is to get the case reviewed, and right the wrongs of the world in a society that remains oppressive in some manner to women. I wonder if anyone in this country can relate.

My first review of this would have been… Gangnam Style. it was the only thing I could pick out of the whole movie. The downside to dubs is that I can’t praise the original cast. the reason to let an audio description team do the whole thing is that often you can still hear the original performer underneath the audio description, so it becomes the best of both worlds. Sure, audio description is more functional, and dub actors actually do try and emote, giving a real performance, but if you want a taste of the original thing, there can’t be a complete obliteration of intent.

Belen reminded me of so many great American legal dramas where someone is fighting for the underdog, and because our women’s rights have deteriorated, this story could be adapted here without many changes. In Belen it happens in Argentina, but there’s no reason this couldn’t be Texas.

I was impressed with the dub, and felt drawn to the film. I am certainly missing visuals, like in the beginning I am trusting that our girl is as innocent as the film plays her to be. But I have no visual reference, just cinematic he said/she said.

I need more companies to take world cinema seriously, describe it, and make it widely available. We are becoming so xenophobic here, and films like Belen remind us how close to home our own problems are for other people across the globe.

Belen is a powerful legal drama with purpose, and a story that should reverberate among American audiences able to connect the dots.

Fresh: 6.4/10