Hi folks. Welcome to one of my favorite section on this blog, I really enjoy writing and explaining these idioms. For today, we have something usually bad, when someone ‘queima o filme’. A literal translation for the expression is ‘to burn someone’s film roll’.
To understand this expression, we have to go back to more humble times, when people used film rolls and analog cameras.
Queimar o filme is a Brazilian Portuguese expression built on an image from analog photography: a roll of film exposed to light before it’s developed is ruined (you have to be at least 25 years old to know what that feels like), its images destroyed.
Socially, the expression works the same way. When someone queima o filme, they expose something that damages a person’s image, whether their own or someone else’s. And that can be permanent or temporary depending on the damage.
As idioms are hard to translate, I am going to use two different English expressions, to make someone look bad and a more literal translation to torch someone's reputation.
Making someone look bad
Sometimes, people act in ways that make others look like they’ve done something wrong (and sometimes they have). Whether it’s at work or in your personal life, it’s helpful to know how to describe this behavior. We can use queimar o filme in those types of situation.
Antes de queimar o filme do Augusto, você deve pensar no que vai acontecer depois disso.
Before making Augusto look bad, you should think about what will happen afterward.
Minha irmã queimou meu filme com minha namorada.
My sister made me look bad to my girlfriend.
Ela não precisa queimar o filme de ninguém pra se sentir bem com si mesma.
She doesn’t need to make anyone look bad to feel good about herself.
Pô mano! Tá queimando meu filme!
Come on, man! You’re making me look bad!
To torch someone’s reputation
Different from making someone look bad, this is a strong way to say that someone is ruining another person’s name (or theirs). That is often accomplished when we act recklessly, and it’s hard to fix the damage once it’s done. I know that translation is a bit too literal but you will understand the meaning, which is far more important.
Isso não é desculpa pra queimar o filme do teu professor.
That’s not an excuse to torch your teacher’s reputation.
Se você falar tudo isso na frente de todo mundo, vai queimar o filme dos teus pais.
If you say all of that in front of everyone, you’re going to torch your parents’ reputation.
O casamento deles era tão ruim que ela queimava o filme de seu marido pra todo mundo.
Their marriage is so bad that she would torch her husband’s reputation to everyone.
Se tu não tivesse queimado teu filme depois de ficar bêbado na frente de todo mundo, você teria sido convidado de novo.
If you hadn’t torched your reputation after getting drunk in front of everyone, you would’ve been invited again.
Se liga! Não vai queimar teu filme com a galera da empresa ou então você vai fechar todas as suas portas.
Get a grip! Don’t torch your reputation with the company’s folks or else you’ll burn your bridges.
Ele só serve pra queimar o filme dos outros nos momentos mais inapropriados.
He’s only good for torching others’ reputations at the most inappropriate moments.
That’s it! I hope you enjoyed learning this useful idiom. We Brazilians use it all the time, so try incorporating it into your active vocabulary. As usual, test your knowledge and see how well you can do with the flashcards. Te vejo no próximo post!