Netflix Enhances Languages Options on TV to Attract Global Viewers

FILE PHOTO: The Netflix logo is shown on one of their Hollywood buildings in Los Angeles, California, US, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Netflix logo is shown on one of their Hollywood buildings in Los Angeles, California, US, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
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Netflix Enhances Languages Options on TV to Attract Global Viewers

FILE PHOTO: The Netflix logo is shown on one of their Hollywood buildings in Los Angeles, California, US, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The Netflix logo is shown on one of their Hollywood buildings in Los Angeles, California, US, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

Netflix on Wednesday rolled out enhanced language options for television viewers, allowing users to select from the full list of available subtitles and dubbing languages for any title.

The update aims to make Netflix's global catalog more accessible at a time when nearly a third of all its viewership comes from non-English language shows, the company said.

According to Reuters, language availability for popular titles such as South Korean drama "Squid Game," Spanish series "Berlin" and the Oscar-winning German film "All Quiet on the Western Front" has helped them attract fans beyond their country of origin.

Netflix said it offers subtitles in 33 languages and audio dubbing in 36 languages across its catalog, but the exact number of available languages could vary by title.

Previously, users could only choose from a handful of languages on television.

Netflix said it decided to change the limited language availability option on TV after it received thousands of language availability requests every month.

The feature is already available on mobile devices and web browsers, the company said.



Arson Suspected as Power Outage in Southeast France Disrupts Final Day of Cannes Film Festival

People stand on a balcony during an electricity outage in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP)
People stand on a balcony during an electricity outage in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP)
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Arson Suspected as Power Outage in Southeast France Disrupts Final Day of Cannes Film Festival

People stand on a balcony during an electricity outage in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP)
People stand on a balcony during an electricity outage in Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP)

A major power outage struck southeastern France on Saturday morning, threatening to jeopardize the Cannes Film Festival’s closing celebrations, including the much-anticipated Palme d’Or ceremony.

Police said they have opened an investigation into possible arson.

Power was restored hours before the ceremony, around 3 p.m. local time, as music began blasting again from beachfront speakers. The end of the blackout was greeted with loud cheers from locals.

Earlier, about 160,000 households in the Alpes-Maritimes department lost electricity after a high-voltage line fell Saturday morning, electricity network operator RTE said on X. The outage came hours after a fire at an electrical substation near Cannes overnight had already weakened the grid.

“We are looking into the likelihood of a fire being started deliberately,” said a police spokesperson for the French national gendarmerie.

In a statement, Laurent Hottiaux, the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes department, condemned “serious acts of damage to electrical infrastructures”

“All resources are mobilized to identify, track down, arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of these acts,” said Hottiaux.

Cannes Film Festival organizers confirmed the outage affected the early activities of Saturday and said the Palais des Festivals, the Croisette's main venue, had switched to an independent power supply.

“All scheduled events and screenings, including the Closing Ceremony, will proceed as planned and under normal conditions,” the statement said. "At this stage, the cause of the outage has not yet been identified. Restoration efforts are underway."

Traffic lights in parts of Cannes and the surrounding city of Antibes stopped working after 10 a.m., leading to traffic jams and confusion in city centers. Most shops along the Croisette remained closed, and local food kiosks were only accepting cash. Train service in Cannes was also disrupted.

Screenings at the Cineum, one of the festival’s satellite venues, were briefly suspended, the festival added.

The Palme d’Or, the festival’s most prestigious prize, was set to be awarded Saturday night, with top contenders including Joachim Trier’s family drama “Sentimental Value,” Jafar Panahi’s revenge thriller “It Was Just an Accident,” Kleber Mendonça Filho’s political thriller “The Secret Agent,” and Óliver Laxe’s desert road trip “Sirât.”