Synopsis

A rifle passed from a Japanese hunter to a Moroccan goat herder triggers a chain of consequences across Morocco, Mexico, Japan, and the United States. As an injured American tourist struggles for help, her children's Mexican caretaker faces danger at the border, while a grieving deaf teenager in Tokyo becomes connected to the weapon's history. Their separate crises reveal how misunderstanding and isolation can cross every boundary.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film completes the loosely connected "Death Trilogy," following "Amores perros" (2000) and "21 Grams" (2003).

• Its four interwoven storylines unfold across Morocco, Mexico, Japan, and the United States, using English, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, and sign language.

• The title refers both to the biblical Tower of Babel and to the confusion created when people cannot communicate clearly.

• Filming took place in Morocco, Mexico, Japan, and the United States, with additional location work in California and elsewhere.

• The screenplay was written by Guillermo Arriaga, who also wrote the two earlier films in the trilogy.

• The film received seven Academy Award nominations and won for Gustavo Santaolalla's original score.

• It won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Drama and earned a Best Director award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

• The Japanese storyline was particularly demanding for Rinko Kikuchi, who learned sign language for the role.