None of the subs is working

[nooblet]

Hi,

I'm not sure this is the correct place to post, this is my first post here. I don't speak french fluently. I'm trying to watch the film A Prophet (2009) in french and with french subtitles, I have download tens of (supposedly french) subtitles for it but not a single one really works. I wonder what I am missing. I would really appreciate if anyone can try to help anyhow. The player I'm using is VLC.

[SmallBrother]

What do you mean with "not a single one really works"?
If you mean the synchronisation, you should know that not every video file is the same. To have the subtitle matching the video, you must either choose a subtitle with your video version mentioned as "release" OR you pick a subtitle and search for the matching video version.

[nooblet]

What do you mean with "not a single one really works"?
If you mean the synchronisation, you should know that not every video file is the same. To have the subtitle matching the video, you must either choose a subtitle with your video version mentioned as "release" OR you pick a subtitle and search for the matching video version.

I just don't see any output in the subtitle that makes sense. I have tried every french subtitle out there for this film. The video I got also has the film's total lenght. Though that sounds like an idea, I don't think other video versions would make it work though...
Perhaps I should ask in the french section here. However if anybody here is kind enough to try and bother getting FR sub work with the FR audio version of this film then please tell me how you did it! Thanks anyway

[nooblet]

Also, I have always used subtitles with no major problems. I have watched foreign films in their foreign language before too, but not so often. I was assuming it would not be this hard to get the original audio in its original language to match with a subtitle in the original language too...

[SmallBrother]

Different video versions are not only about "extended version" or "directors cut" or so, but often it's a matter of different frame rate, other intro, etc. Movie length doesn;t say so much.

Maybe you can tell us what movie you are trying to watch with which subtitle.
Then please state EXACTLY the release name of the video and the URL of the subtitle you are using.

[nooblet]

Thanks for the glimpse of hope

The film is A Prophet (2009), but with the original french audio version (Un Prophète), with subtitles also in french. I understand the video variations, but the problem is that every single french subtitle I've tried doesn't seem to synchronize at all, it's not like it seems to be an issue of timing or something. All that came up was apparent random french phrases at random times (but most of time no subtitle at all appears, while an english sub version worked with no issue for this same film) but I could be wrong. I even wondered whether the subtitles were for the same film, but it has to be (Un Prophète, 2009)

[SmallBrother]

every single french subtitle I've tried doesn't seem to synchronize at all, it's not like it seems to be an issue of timing or something.

Well, if it isn't synchronized, it IS a matter of timing

The problem is, almost all French subs available ( https://www.opensubtitles.org/en/search ... uageid-fre ) are subtitling ONLY the Sicilian and Arabic spoken text, not the French. So, with a lot of text missing PLUS wrong synchronisation, that's why what you describe is happening.
And even if synchronisation would okay for your video file, it wouldn't help you, because you want ALL spoken text (including all French) to be subtitled, right?

Only ONE subtitle is full ( https://www.opensubtitles.org/en/subtit ... prophet-fr ) but to me (with my limited knowledge of French) it seems this is a bad (machine) translation from another language and sync is a bit messy anyway. Have a look at this one. If the French seems okay to you, it is possible to re-sync it to some video version.

[nooblet]

Thanks for the explanations and for the try. Think I will just give up for a while on this one. Too bad because it looked like a good film. I watched 22 bullets (L'immortel) yesterday, kept having to adjust the french subtitles timing but it did work. Apparently in a platform like HBO Max I would have to use VPN to be able to see french subtitles? If that would even work with an already existing account and subscription... But now I digress.

Thank you for all the help!

[SmallBrother]

I watched 22 bullets (L'immortel) yesterday, kept having to adjust the french subtitles timing but it did work.

For things like this I would advise to use subtitling software like Subtitle Edit (see www.nikse.dk ). Then you can adjust the synchronisation first and then watching your movie with these subs, without being disturbed by having to adjust timing all the time.

[SmallBrother]

See here for a resync of the full subs.
Make sure you use exactly the mentioned video version (A.Prophet.2009.French.720p.BRrip.x265.HEVC.10bit.PoOlLa.mkv)
Give it a try and if the French is bad - I am sorry

[nooblet]

Thank you for all hints. I'm not watching it on a computer, though, but I'll refer to this post if I ever feel the urge again to watch this film