Every text, especially an audio-visual text, makes no sense if it is not included in a specific context, attached to the heart of a particular society and a particular culture. The original message can be understood in many different ways, depending on the context in which the message is received. Screen-translation is a cultural-mediation instrument; it is a kind of translation where the presence of references alluding to specific features of a culture becomes of vital importance. For this reason a screen translator has to pay special attention to these references. Furthermore he has to consider that cultural reference may not exist or may not be present in the same way in the target culture as in the original one. An extra difficulty is the interdependence that exists between the written text and the image. In this article the author examines the role of the screen translator and the translation of cultural references in (Spanish) cinema. How are the references really translated? What skills are used by the translators?