... which is based solely on another film that was made in another language (that I don't understand) in the 1950s.

I think it's a wonderful movie and so little-known - I watched it as a child 30 years ago and it's stayed with me all these years. I now own a copy of the film on DVD (it took me years to track it down) and, although I still don't understand the words, would love to write an English screenplay for it based on what I see on the screen.

I would love the film to be remade in English. I may not be the best person to write up a new screenplay but I have some time and I'd like to do it.

What would be the implications if I managed to do this and wanted to try to find someone to make the film? I haven't come up with the original idea, and in effect would be stealing someone elses work wouldn't I? If I could, I would think about buying rights to have this movie made into English but how would I go about this? Does anyone know?

well, i think you'd have to get permission to adapt it if you had any intentions on actually PRODUCING the film as an indie. i'm guessing you don't have that kind of money, though, so i'd recommend you get a hold of FINAL DRAFT scriptwriting software, put a strong first draft of a script together, and shop it around. you never know - it might get picked up.

Anxiety said:

Thankyou so much. I will make a start.

no prob.

and if you're not well-versed in screenwriting, you might want to check out a "how-to" book or two...the "dummies" books are pretty good, something fairly no-nonsense and resource-based, rather than something artsy like "freeing the screenwriter from within" or any crap like that.

also, look at published scripts of movies you like and pay attention to the way the scripts are formatted. the directions. the scene transitions. stuff like that. final draft software will give you templates to make it easy for you to create a professional looking script, but you have to know what you're doing and what the script terminology means. it's not hard. but it's important to know, and you won't be taken seriously if you don't know it.

Anxiety said:

Brilliant

In fact, now I'm giving serious consideration to beginning this project, I'm wondering whether it would be better as an animated screenplay. Does anyone know of any resources which will tell me whether the way I write it should be diferent, or would it be best to just get it all down on paper before I start thinking along these lines?

Screenwriting is a very difficult art form that requires talent and lots of experience. Take a screenwriting course and then try to write a few short screenplays before taking on a feature length one. Otherwise you'll be wasting your time.

OK, thankyou Retina. I do want to do this as a project - I have written one short screenplay which I wasn't at all happy with but I thought this might be easier to tackle. I'm not looking for a career out of this, but I want so much to bring this movie to the attention of people who make films. I was thinking about investing time in going back to college and this may be the direction I will have to take.