In her critically acclaimed new film “Arrival”, Amy Adams plays a linguist who must learn to translate across species when aliens descend on earth. But the movie, which looks at first glance like classic sci-fi, instead becomes a meditation on language and diplomacy. So when the Oscar-nominated actress sat down with Samantha Power, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, the two had much to discuss.
While Power actually spends her days working to bridge gaps on an international level, both accomplished women share the belief that art has the power to mitigate xenophobia and make “the other” seem as familiar as a friend. “The way to break through, it seems to me — really, one of the only ways these days — is through the arts,” Power says. The important thing is keeping those channels open. “It is about the experience of communicating,” Adams says. “Not only communicating with aliens, but really, it’s about communicating with each other.”