An interesting debate has begun on the Guardian newspaper website around some of the issues raised at Deaffest 2007, in particularly “Can Hearing Directors make Deaf films?”
Some interesting points are made around the portrayal of deaf people in film and how this can be quite contrary to how we view ourselves.
“…any decent director “can bring scenes together, do a bit of editing, get a cast working,” he is spot on when he suggests that black directors can bring “real understanding and soul, emotion, empathy” to a black film. In the same way, Deaf directors have brought to film a level of empathy and understanding which has allowed actors to portray Deaf people as we view ourselves, rather than as other people view us.”
To read the full article click here