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Encounters: Deaf Shorts Showcase

+ BSL Introduction

Showing times:

• Tue 17 Jul: 7pm

Various directors

Encounters Film Festival present this selection of short films from their 2017 programme that all represent Deafness not as the main form of conflict but as part of a wider narrative. The filmmakers come from both Deaf and hearing backgrounds and together their work presents a unique representation of the Deaf community in the 21st Century.

The programme features The Silent Child, which won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Short Film.

This screening will have captioned subtitles and be introduced in British Sign Language.

Please be aware that for this screening we will not be showing adverts before feature; please arrive promptly for the film start time.

Programme

Swimming in the Desert

Dir: Alvaro Ron, USA, 2017, 17 mins, Fiction

In the drought-stricken town of Agua Dulce in the California High Desert, a ten year old deaf girl challenges her grandfather, a cranky retired firefighter, to follow a crazy plan and bring the water back to the dry river.

Hitch

Dirs: Sophie Hexter & Poppy Walker, Australia, 2016, 10 mins 37 secs, Fiction

A young, deaf boy wanders alone through a remote Australian landscape. A mysterious man pulls up in a ute to offer him a ride. Equal parts suspense and coming-of-age, HITCH explores loss and acceptance in a silent world, where nothing is as it appears to be.

Nevith the Dragon

Dir: Paul Miller, UK, 2017, 8 mins 31 secs, Animation

Lily, a deaf girl, has just lost her mother and moved to live with her father. They don’t get on well. Her father can’t sign, and they find it difficult to communicate. After an argument, lily runs off. She is suddenly caught in bad weather, and falls into a cave stumbling into her mother’s mystical past.

The Silent Child

Dir: Chris Overton, UK, 2017, 19 mins 54 secs, Fiction

Set in rural England and inspired by real life events. The Silent Child centres around a profoundly deaf four year old girl named Libby who is born into a middle class family and lives in a world of silence until a caring social worker teaches her the gift of communication.

4

Dir: Bim Ajadi, UK, 2014, 6 mins 24 secs, Fiction

A young Deaf man is challenged to a game of Connect 4, only to find that this is no ordinary game. Are the odds stacked against him?

Silent Laughs

Dir: Natalia Kouneli, UK, 2017, 10 mins 58 secs, Documentary

A Deaf stand-up comedienne performs in sign language fulfilling her dream to make people laugh as well as bringing Deaf Culture to mainstream audiences.

The Song for Single (????)

Dirs: Zheng Xiaosan/Sam Zheng, China, 2016, 5 mins 19 secs, Fiction

There is a place, both in deaf and mainstream culture, to feel, hold and express universal themes of human emotion through musical expression.

Signs of an Affair

Dir: Louis Neethling, UK, 2017, 28 mins, Fiction

Signs of an Affair tells the story of Flora, who has been married to Fred for many years, when suddenly, he doesn’t want sugar in his tea – something’s not right! Flora is suspicious and determined to find out the truth, but ends up in some unexpected places. Starring Jean St Clair and

Ilan Dwek; produced for BSLBT by Mutt and Jeff Pictures.

Venue: Studio 74, Exeter Phoenix