I Dream in Another Language (2017) Plot Summary Explained

Isauro and Evaristo were childhood friends who both fell in love with the same woman, who later became Evaristo's wife. Their forbidden love for each other was condemned by their community as sinful and taboo, causing a bitter rift that lasted decades. The trauma of this condemned relationship fueled their bitter rivalry and long-standing silence.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show the two men avoiding each other in the village, hinting at a deep, unresolved conflict.

• isauro
• evaristo
• feud
• love triangle
• forbidden love

The forbidden love was between Isauro and Evaristo themselves, not for Evaristo's wife as the villagers initially believed. They were in a romantic relationship that their community viewed as sinful and unacceptable. When societal pressure forced Evaristo to marry another woman, Isauro felt betrayed, leading to decades of anger and separation.

Foreshadowing: The villagers whisper about a complicated history tied to Evaristo's deceased wife, but the truth involves a deeper, hidden relationship.

• forbidden love
• gay romance
• isauro
• evaristo
• community judgment

The Encanto is a mystical realm believed by the villagers to be the resting place of the Zikril people. It serves as a supernatural afterlife where the departed souls of the community gather. After Isauro dies, Evaristo journeys there seeking peace and forgiveness, and encounters Isauro in this ethereal space where they finally reconcile.

Foreshadowing: The legend of The Encanto is mentioned early in the village, establishing it as a place of spiritual significance.

• the encanto
• afterlife
• mystical realm
• zikril people

Both men were trapped by pride, shame, and decades of accumulated anger. Isauro felt betrayed when Evaristo married a woman under community pressure, while Evaristo was consumed by guilt over abandoning his true love. Their stubbornness and the social stigma surrounding their relationship made it impossible to bridge the gap until after death.

Foreshadowing: Martin's attempts to bring them together are repeatedly met with resistance from both men.

• pride
• forgiveness
• reconciliation
• shame

Evaristo's wife is mentioned as deceased. While the exact circumstances of her death are not detailed in the summary, she became the focal point of the villagers' misunderstanding about the feud. The community believed the rivalry was over her, when in reality she was simply the woman Evaristo married to conceal his forbidden relationship with Isauro.

Foreshadowing: Villagers suggest the feud stems from their shared love for Evaristo's wife, creating a false narrative.

• evaristo's wife
• marriage
• deceased

No, the Zikril language fades away with the death of its last speakers. Despite Martin's dedicated efforts to preserve it, the language cannot survive without living speakers. However, his work uncovered a profound understanding of its rich history and cultural significance, preserving its stories and meaning even if the spoken language itself is lost.

Foreshadowing: Martin's urgency increases as Isauro's health deteriorates, highlighting the race against time.

• zikril language
• extinction
• preservation
• linguist

After Isauro dies, Evaristo journeys to The Encanto, the mystical resting place of the Zikril people. There, he encounters Isauro in the afterlife, and the two former foes finally reconcile. This supernatural encounter allows them to apologize, forgive each other, and find closure for their decades-long conflict.

Foreshadowing: Isauro's death serves as the catalyst that pushes Evaristo to seek reconciliation.

• evaristo
• peace
• afterlife
• reconciliation
• the encanto

Their community condemned their romantic relationship as sinful, likely due to homophobia. The society's harsh judgment forced Evaristo to marry a woman to hide his true feelings, while Isauro was left feeling betrayed. This societal condemnation is what drove them apart and created the bitter feud that defined their lives.

Foreshadowing: The villagers speak of the love being condemned by their community without specifying why.

• gay relationship
• taboo
• homophobia
• community condemnation

Through his work, Martin uncovers the rich history and cultural significance embedded in the Zikril language. He learns that the language carries the stories, traditions, and emotional depth of an entire people. His journey reveals how intimately language is tied to identity, love, and the collective memory of a community facing extinction.

Foreshadowing: Martin's dedication to preserving the language shows his growing appreciation for its cultural value.

• zikril culture
• language
• history
• traditions
• identity

Isauro's death is the triggering event. Left facing the unresolved emotions of their decades-long feud, Evaristo feels compelled to seek peace and apologize for the pain caused by their broken relationship. The death of his former friend forces him to confront his guilt and seek reconciliation, even if it means journeying into the mystical realm believed to house the departed.

Foreshadowing: Isauro's declining health has been established as a pressing concern throughout the story.

• evaristo
• the encanto
• journey
• death
• guilt

Martin is driven by a professional and personal dedication to linguistics and cultural preservation. As the last speaker of Zikril dies, the entire language and its cultural knowledge face extinction. Martin believes in the value of preserving endangered languages and views his mission as crucial to maintaining the stories, history, and identity of the Zikril people.

Foreshadowing: Martin arrives with a clear mission to safeguard the ancient language from extinction.

• martin
• linguist
• preservation
• endangered language
• mission

The flashbacks transport viewers to the past, showing Isauro and Evaristo as young men deeply in love. They gradually reveal how community pressure led Evaristo to marry another woman, how Isauro felt betrayed, and how a simple misunderstanding about the nature of their relationship fueled decades of anger. These memories expose the love and betrayal at the heart of their conflict.

Foreshadowing: Martin and Evaristo's granddaughter begin digging into the past, hinting that the true story differs from village rumors.

• flashbacks
• young isauro
• young evaristo
• love
• truth