The sound of rebellion. Adattare le canzoni nei film di animazione

The article illustrates the importance of songs in animated films and the analysis and translationadaptation work carried out on some of the songs from the animated film Sing (Illumination, 2016) by a group of students from the Master’s Degree in Translation at the University of Turin. In Sing, music plays a central narrative role: it accompanies and emphasises the emotional evolution of the characters, symbolising rebellion and personal affirmation. This article analyses three emblematic songs –«Shake It Off», «I’m Still Standing» and «Set It All Free» linked respectively to Rosita, Johnny and Ash. The aim is to reflect on the translational and cultural implications of these performances, in light of Franzon’s (2008) and Low’s (2003) theories, as well as the semiotic codes specific to animated films. In the dubbed version of the film, the lack of Italian translation of the songs compromises the full understanding of the message, depriving the viewers – especially the younger ones – of an important channel of expression.