Why ‘The Chosen’ is Being Translated into 600 Languages

Stan Jantz, CEO of the Come and See Foundation, said miracles are a suitable way to describe how Season 5 of “The Chosen” can become funded.

The organization helps ensure the show has the necessary funds and aims to get the popular series about Jesus and his disciples translated into 600 languages. Jantz explained to the Deseret News that donations have been arriving from all over the globe.

According to Jantz, it’s unusual for nonprofits to receive such vast international support. More than 104,000 supporters from 151 countries contributed to make Season 5 possible. He believes this is due to both the show’s nature and its quality.

“This is not a made-up story,” stated Jantz. “(Jesus) is a real person who still lives at the right hand of God, and we can still make a connection with him.”

With over 100,000 donors, there are countless personal stories behind their contributions, he said. “The big story is just the number of people who have found it important to share this.”

These international donations signify the show’s global impact, Jantz pointed out. “It’s indicative of how it’s touching people worldwide, not just where it’s produced.”

Jantz shared a story of a couple who donated to the show and wanted to see the set in person. The series is filmed in two locations: Goshen, Utah, for the Jerusalem set, and Midlothian, Texas, for the Capernaum set.

During a tour at the Midlothian set, the husband repeatedly described the set as having “excellence.” Just a few days later, the couple made another, significantly larger, donation because they were impressed by the quality and beauty of the work.

Besides funding the show, Jantz highlighted their progress in translating the series into 600 languages. The Come and See Foundation maintains a list of languages and the number of seasons translated so far.

Jantz said they aim to allow people to watch the series in their native language, whether through dubbing or subtitles, ensuring professional and high-quality translations.

A viewer from India reached out to Jantz after watching two seasons of the show in Bengali, her native tongue. She felt the characters’ tones matched their personalities, and the dubbing actors were well-cast.

Though this viewer understood English, experiencing the show in Bengali was particularly meaningful to her.

“Reaching someone at a heart level is very impactful,” Jantz remarked. The team is currently working on translating the series into 108 languages, capturing not just the words but the tone and expressiveness.

“It’s all done through studios and direction,” said Jantz. “This translation honors the language and its speakers, especially when done excellently.”

Jantz shared that discussing his work with others has been a rewarding experience. When people ask about his job, he simply mentions he works with “The Chosen,” which often leads to lovely conversations about the show’s significance.

The organization will now focus on securing funding for Season 6, Jantz mentioned.

Source: Deseret News