Until recently, hardly anybody talked about screen translation, but since about 1995, this situation has changed considerably for several reasons. 1995 was the 100-year anniversary of the cinema. The Council of Europe wanted to celebrate it and agreed to host a forum on audiovisual communication and language transfer. From that year on, we have had one or two colloquia and a consistent number of seminars and sessions within conferences each year. The number of publications has also risen significantly. Another reason could be the parallel booming of the so-called new technology, offering on-Iine and off-line products and services. We are now surrounded by screens. A third reason is language policy and language awareness, especially in Europe. Minority groups now realize that the media could be a useful tool to promote and reínforce their language and cultural identity. Last but not least, translation practice changes rapidly. From analogue to digital, the equipment available today is faster, more flexible and less cumbersome.