How to request films in their home language for expat families

Set up a family film request process that records the language, preferred audio and subtitles, then checks the available version before viewing.

By VLClean · 2026-11-13

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Send the film title together with the spoken language wanted, whether dubbing is acceptable, and any subtitle preference. Choose a shared place for requests, then have the person managing the library check the available version before treating the request as complete.

Option	Request method	Things to check for language requests
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]	Check where the preferred spoken language and subtitles will be recorded and who will verify the available version.
Request form	People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.	Check whether the chosen form can keep the title, audio preference and subtitle preference together.
Shared request list	People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.	Check how language preferences, questions and confirmed versions will be recorded.
Shared message thread	People send film requests to the chosen conversation.	Check how the reviewer will find language details and track unresolved requests.

What you need before you start

Decide which friends or family members should be able to send requests and who will review them. Choose where people will send requests. The choice can be a request tool, a form, or another method that gives viewers a clear place to submit titles.

Agree on what “home language” means for each request. Ask whether the family wants the film’s original spoken language, a dubbed version, subtitles, or a particular combination. Write down the language by name instead of relying on where the film was made or the language of its title.

Prepare the titles or types of content that are allowed, so people know what kinds of requests fit the server. Keep the request rules simple, such as whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows.

Have a place to record language details alongside each title. Include regional preferences when they matter to the family, and distinguish a required language from an acceptable alternative. Decide who will check the available audio and subtitles, and how that person will report an unavailable version.

Step by step

Pick one place where friends and family will send requests, such as a request website or a shared message thread, and tell everyone to use only that place. Explain where language details belong. Before choosing the method, check whether those details can stay beside the film title throughout the review process.

Identify the film before discussing its language version. Ask for its title and any detail needed to distinguish it from a remake or a similarly named film. If relatives know it by different translated titles, record those together. Keep the identifying details attached to the request so the person reviewing it does not have to reconstruct the conversation.

Record the preferred spoken language separately from the subtitle language. Ask whether dubbing is acceptable or whether the original audio is required. If a regional version matters, name it. Avoid a request that says only “the home version,” since the person managing the library still needs an explicit preference to check.

Write down who looks at each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library. Have that person compare the requested language with the available version. If the preferred version cannot be confirmed, leave the language question open and ask whether a different audio or subtitle choice would be acceptable.

Send a short note explaining what each update means. Separate finding the correct film from confirming its language. When a title becomes available, have the person checking it confirm the intended audio and subtitles before telling the family that the language request is complete. Record any accepted alternative beside the original preference.

Review requests regularly and resolve unclear language notes with the person who submitted them. Close requests that the family no longer wants, and retain useful details for those still being considered. Ask viewers what confused them about submitting titles or describing a language preference, then edit the instructions to address those points.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr can be used by searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting it, and the owner’s own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[1] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. ^[1]

Consider that title request route when the household already uses Radarr and Sonarr, while checking how the separate language preference will be recorded and verified. ^[1] Before choosing it, ask whether the proposed workflow keeps the required audio and subtitles visible to the person reviewing the request.

A request form gives people a place to submit movie or show titles. Define separate questions for the film, spoken language, subtitle language, and acceptable alternatives when preparing the form. Check whether the chosen form lets the reviewer keep those answers together and communicate a decision.

A shared request list gives people a place to add movie or show ideas. Agree on a consistent way to write each entry, including its language preference. Decide who can edit entries and where the reviewer should record questions or a confirmed version.

A shared message thread is another place to send requests. Give family members a short message format to copy, and decide how the reviewer will track unresolved requests. Check whether the chosen messaging service makes it practical to find the original preference after further conversation.

Things to check before you choose

Where will the required language be recorded? Who will check the actual audio and subtitles? How will the family hear about an alternative version? Can the person reviewing requests distinguish an added title from a confirmed language match?

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the rules. Friends and family need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added. Include instructions for describing audio and subtitles, especially when different relatives use different home languages.

Avoid treating a translated title as confirmation of the spoken language. Ask for the desired audio explicitly and have the reviewer check the version being considered. Keep the film’s identity and the requested language as separate details in the request.

Avoid replacing a required language with an alternative without asking. Record whether subtitles or dubbing would be acceptable before the reviewer spends time looking for another version. If a family member has not given an alternative, leave that decision open.

Avoid marking the language request complete just because the film has been added. Check the available audio and subtitles before sending a completion message.

Avoid forgetting to review requests after setup. A request list can become harder to manage if old or unwanted requests are left without attention. Keep unresolved language questions visible, and update the instructions when family members repeatedly need clarification.

Frequently asked questions

Can Askarr confirm a film’s spoken language?

Askarr lets people request a movie or show, and their own Radarr and Sonarr add it. ^[1] Before choosing a request workflow, check how the desired spoken language will be recorded and how the available version will be verified. Keep the language requirement attached to the title until the reviewer has confirmed the audio and any required subtitles.

What language details should a request form collect?

Include the film title, the preferred spoken language, whether dubbing is acceptable, and the desired subtitle language. Record a regional preference if it matters to the family. Ask which alternatives are acceptable, and leave room to clarify the film’s identity. Keep those details together so the person reviewing the request can compare them with the version being considered.

How can Askarr help identify a requested film?

Askarr allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. ^[1] When relatives use different translated titles, agree on the film’s identity before reviewing the language preference. Record the required audio and subtitles separately, then have the reviewer check those details against the available version before treating the request as complete.

What should a shared request list say about subtitles?

Name the desired subtitle language separately from the spoken language. State whether subtitles are required, optional, or an acceptable alternative to the preferred audio. If the family has a regional preference, include it in the entry. Have the reviewer record what has actually been confirmed and ask before substituting an alternative that the requester has not already accepted.

Can Askarr be tried before choosing a request method?

Askarr offers a throwaway demo account with sample data so the dashboard can be tried without signing in. ^[1] Use the comparison process to decide where language preferences would be recorded and who would check the final version. Before adopting a method, check how family members will submit a title, clarify their audio preference, and hear whether that preference has been confirmed.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]

Try Askarr

Sources

Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)