diff --git a/gaming/compose.py b/gaming/compose.py
index 8c566526..1ec5760d 100644
--- a/gaming/compose.py
+++ b/gaming/compose.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 from core.binaries import ffmpeg
 from gaming.layout import OUT_H, OUT_W, Element, Plan
 from video.encoding import audio_filter_args, final_movflags, video_encoder_args
+from video.filters import subtitles_filter
 
 
 def _blur_fill(label: str, w: int, h: int) -> str:
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ def filter_graph(p: Plan, vf_extra: str = "", ass_name: str | None = None) -> st
     if vf_extra:
         graph += f";[v]{vf_extra}[v]"
     if ass_name:
-        graph += f";[v]subtitles={ass_name}[v]"
+        graph += f";[v]{subtitles_filter(ass_name)}[v]"
     return graph
 
 
diff --git a/multilingual/burn.py b/multilingual/burn.py
index 35f5a839..a35a3075 100644
--- a/multilingual/burn.py
+++ b/multilingual/burn.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ def burn(
     from core.models import ClipCandidate
     from video.captions import build_captions
     from video.encoding import final_movflags, video_encoder_args
+    from video.filters import subtitles_filter
 
     canvas = _canvas_of(base_video)
     ass_path = out_path.with_suffix(f".{language}.ass")
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ def burn(
     cmd = [
         ffmpeg(), "-y", "-v", "error",
         "-i", str(base_video.resolve()),
-        "-vf", f"subtitles={built.name}",
+        "-vf", subtitles_filter(built.name),
         "-c:a", "copy",
         *video_encoder_args(config),
         # A language's own clip, posted as it is: first frame at 0 either way.
diff --git a/tests/test_subtitles_filter.py b/tests/test_subtitles_filter.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f8e8e28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_subtitles_filter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+"""The captions file name inside FFmpeg's `subtitles=` filter.
+
+Every renderer hands the filter a bare file name (with cwd set to the
+captions' folder, to dodge Windows drive-letter escaping). The name was put
+into the filtergraph as it was, so a clip whose file name carried a comma,
+a quote, a bracket or a semicolon broke the graph: a comma reads as the next
+filter, and the burn failed with a parse error. Seen on a translated burn,
+whose output is named after the clip's title.
+
+FFmpeg needs two levels of escaping (doc: "Notes on filtergraph escaping"):
+the option value (\\ ' :) and then the filtergraph (\\ ' [ ] , ;).
+"""
+
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from core.binaries import ffmpeg
+from video.filters import subtitles_filter
+
+ASS = """[Script Info]
+ScriptType: v4.00+
+PlayResX: 320
+PlayResY: 240
+
+[V4+ Styles]
+Format: Name, Fontname, Fontsize, PrimaryColour, BackColour, Bold, Italic, Alignment, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV
+Style: Default,Arial,20,&H00FFFFFF,&H00000000,0,0,2,10,10,10
+
+[Events]
+Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Text
+Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.00,0:00:01.00,Default,ola
+"""
+
+
+def test_escapes_both_filter_levels():
+    assert subtitles_filter("Corte, do 'Paulinho' [GTA]; parte 1: final.ass") == \
+        r"subtitles=Corte\, do \\\'Paulinho\\\' \[GTA\]\; parte 1\\: final.ass"
+
+
+def test_escapes_an_equals_sign():
+    # "a=b.ass" read as option a, value b.ass ("Option not found").
+    assert subtitles_filter("GTA=top.ass") == r"subtitles=GTA\\=top.ass"
+
+
+def test_plain_name_unchanged():
+    assert subtitles_filter("clip_12.ass") == "subtitles=clip_12.ass"
+
+
+def test_ffmpeg_burns_a_title_with_commas_quotes_and_brackets(tmp_path):
+    binary = ffmpeg()
+    if not Path(binary).is_file():
+        pytest.skip("FFmpeg is not installed here")
+    name = "Corte, do 'Paulinho' [GTA]; parte 1.ass"
+    (tmp_path / name).write_text(ASS, encoding="utf-8")
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [binary, "-v", "error", "-f", "lavfi", "-i", "color=black:s=320x240:d=1",
+         "-vf", subtitles_filter(name), "-f", "null", "-"],
+        capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=tmp_path,
+    )
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[-500:]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", ["a=b.ass", "GTA=top, do 'Paulinho' [x]; parte 1.ass"])
+def test_ffmpeg_burns_a_title_with_an_equals_sign(tmp_path, name):
+    binary = ffmpeg()
+    if not Path(binary).is_file():
+        pytest.skip("FFmpeg is not installed here")
+    (tmp_path / name).write_text(ASS, encoding="utf-8")
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [binary, "-v", "error", "-f", "lavfi", "-i", "color=black:s=320x240:d=1",
+         "-vf", subtitles_filter(name), "-f", "null", "-"],
+        capture_output=True, text=True, cwd=tmp_path,
+    )
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stderr[-500:]
diff --git a/video/cropper.py b/video/cropper.py
index ccc596ec..49ceb02f 100644
--- a/video/cropper.py
+++ b/video/cropper.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 from core.binaries import ffmpeg
 from video.capture import video_capture
 from video.encoding import audio_filter_args, final_movflags, video_encoder_args
+from video.filters import subtitles_filter
 
 CAM_H = 672    # webcam band height in the 1080x1920 split layout (35%)
 GAME_H = 1248  # gameplay band height (65%)
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ def _render_fit_blur(
     )
     filters = f"[0:v]split=2[a][b];[a]{bg}[bg];[b]{fg}[fg];[bg][fg]overlay=0:(H-h)/2,setsar=1[v]"
     if ass_path is not None:
-        filters += f";[v]subtitles={ass_path.name}[v2]"
+        filters += f";[v]{subtitles_filter(ass_path.name)}[v2]"
         vout = "[v2]"
     else:
         vout = "[v]"
@@ -304,7 +305,7 @@ def emit_rest_on_cpu(frame_idx: int) -> None:
                 f"[bg][fg]overlay=0:{top},setsar=1[v]"
             )
             if ass_path is not None:
-                filters += f";[v]subtitles={ass_path.name}[v]"
+                filters += f";[v]{subtitles_filter(ass_path.name)}[v]"
             cmd = [
                 ffmpeg(), "-y",
                 *pipe_in,                         # cropped frames on stdin
@@ -333,7 +334,7 @@ def emit_rest_on_cpu(frame_idx: int) -> None:
         if vf_extra:
             vf += f",{vf_extra}"
         if ass_path is not None:
-            vf += f",subtitles={ass_path.name}"
+            vf += "," + subtitles_filter(ass_path.name)
         cmd = [
             ffmpeg(), "-y",
             *pipe_in,                         # cropped frames on stdin
@@ -526,7 +527,7 @@ def _render_split(
     if vf_extra:
         filters += f";[v]{vf_extra}[v]"
     if ass_path is not None:
-        filters += f";[v]subtitles={ass_path.name}[v]"
+        filters += f";[v]{subtitles_filter(ass_path.name)}[v]"
 
     cmd = [
         ffmpeg(), "-y",
diff --git a/video/cutter.py b/video/cutter.py
index 19ce6451..9ea488ab 100644
--- a/video/cutter.py
+++ b/video/cutter.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     using_hardware_encoder,
     video_encoder_args,
 )
+from video.filters import subtitles_filter
 
 
 def cut_clip(
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ def cut_clip(
     vf_parts = [p for p in (vf_extra,) if p]
     if ass_path is not None:
         # Bare filename + cwd avoids Windows path escaping in filter args.
-        vf_parts.append(f"subtitles={ass_path.name}")
+        vf_parts.append(subtitles_filter(ass_path.name))
     if vf_parts:
         cmd.extend(["-vf", ",".join(vf_parts)])
     cmd.append(str(output_path.resolve()))
diff --git a/video/filters.py b/video/filters.py
index faa85909..aa4de898 100644
--- a/video/filters.py
+++ b/video/filters.py
@@ -9,6 +9,22 @@
 chat), so an unknown name can never inject filter syntax into FFmpeg.
 """
 
+import re
+
+
+def subtitles_filter(name: str) -> str:
+    """`subtitles=<name>` with the file name escaped for FFmpeg.
+
+    Callers pass a bare file name and run FFmpeg from the captions' folder
+    (that avoids Windows drive-letter escaping). The name still needs FFmpeg's
+    two levels ("Notes on filtergraph escaping"): first as an option value
+    (\\ ' : =), then as part of the filtergraph (\\ ' [ ] , ;). Unescaped, a
+    comma in a clip's title reads as the start of the next filter, and
+    "a=b.ass" as option "a".
+    """
+    value = re.sub(r"([\\':=])", r"\\\1", name)
+    return "subtitles=" + re.sub(r"([\\'\[\],;])", r"\\\1", value)
+
 PRESETS: dict[str, str] = {
     "none": "",
     "vibrant": "eq=saturation=1.35:contrast=1.08",
diff --git a/video_editor/export.py b/video_editor/export.py
index a461287a..3a246dda 100644
--- a/video_editor/export.py
+++ b/video_editor/export.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 from core.binaries import ffmpeg
 from video.encoding import LOUDNORM, final_movflags, video_encoder_args
+from video.filters import subtitles_filter
 from video_editor.audio import master_filter, mute_filter
 from video_editor.cuts import concat_graph
 from video_editor.timeline import EditList
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@ def apply_edits(
     if abs(edit.speed - 1.0) >= 0.01:
         video_chain.append(f"setpts=PTS/{edit.speed:.4f}")
     if ass_path is not None:
-        video_chain.append(f"subtitles={ass_path.name}")
+        video_chain.append(subtitles_filter(ass_path.name))
     if video_chain:
         src = video_out if video_out.startswith("[") else f"[{video_out}]"
         graph_parts.append(f"{src}{','.join(video_chain)}[vout]")