Last month, Deaffest Co-Founder & Festival Director Nikki Stratton and Festival Producer Lou Parrott travelled to Italy to attend the Itinerant Deaf Cinema Festival, held from 22 – 24 May in Venice. The festival offered a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Deaf cinema, connect with fellow industry professionals, share knowledge, and experience the rich culture of the city.
The long weekend began with a visit to the heart of Venice, including a memorable gondola ride through its iconic canals. Later, the festival’s Opening Ceremony took place at the Auditorium Cesare de Michelis at Museo M9, featuring welcome speeches and a captivating Visual Vernacular performance by Nicola Della Maggiora.
The evening continued with screenings including ‘Le Fobie del Guardrail’ by Marco Capelacci, a selection of international competition shorts, an out-of-competition late-night screening, and an opening party.
Saturday’s programme featured Sign: Festival Stories, held in the Sala Orizzonti at Museo M9. The session brought together representatives from Deaf festivals to share experiences, challenges, and perspectives. Nikki concluded the event by presenting Deaffest, the UK’s leading Deaf-led film and arts festival, offering insights into its mission, development, and impact.
This was followed by Deaf Cinema, a seminar led by Daniele Le Rose, who delivered a fascinating exploration of Deaf cinema history. The presentation charted the evolution of Deaf filmmaking over the years – including a mention of Deaffest in 2006 – and highlighted many significant moments in Deaf cinema history.
Attendees then took part in Ritmi Visivi (Visual Rhythms): Cinema Through Deaf Art, an interactive workshop led by Fabio Zamparo, Anna Chiara Carlet, and Nicola Savoldi, exploring cinema through movement, rhythm, and Deaf visual culture.
Meanwhile, Nikki joined fellow International Competition Jury members Daniele Le Rose and Nicola Della Maggiora to deliberate on the festival’s award selections.
The evening returned to the Auditorium Cesare de Michelis for further screenings and a discussion led by Fabio Zamparo, during which jury members reflected on Deaf cinema today and its future. The Awards Ceremony followed, where the juries shared the perspectives and criteria behind their decisions.
Congratulations to the award winners:
Ritmi Visivi Award: ‘Glass Cage’ – Directed by Jules Dameron
Mention Award: ‘The Deliverance’ – Directed by Bim Ajadi
Audience Award: ‘The Power of Goodbye’ – Directed by Audrey Sangla
The evening concluded with a humorous performance by Maurizio Scarpa (Pallina Rossa), followed by networking and celebrations in the courtyard of Ca’ di Mat.
Sunday saw a further programme of screenings and events, including The Online Roundtable: International Deaf Cinema Manifesto.
Led by filmmaker and founder of Angry Deaf People Productions, Charlie Ainsworth, who authored the manifesto, the discussion brought together Deaf filmmakers and industry professionals to explore the future of Deaf cinema and its visibility within the wider film industry. Participants gathered in the Sala Orizzonti, while others, including Deaffest Co-Founder & Festival Director Marilyn Willrich, joined remotely.
The roundtable provided a rich and thought-provoking discussion around the creation of a shared manifesto for film festivals and industry professionals. The manifesto advocates for Deaf people to have greater control over how Deaf stories are told in cinema and seeks to strengthen Deaf-led representation across the industry. Find out more about the manifesto here.
A huge thank you to the Itinerant Deaf Cinema Festival, and especially Artistic Co-Directors Fabio Zamparo and Anna Chiara Carlet, for inviting Nikki and Lou to be part of such an inspiring and valuable weekend. The festival created space for meaningful exchange across Deaf cinema, bringing together filmmakers and practitioners to share practice, perspectives, and emerging ideas. Deaffest looks forward to continuing to support collaboration internationally!
Check out the video for highlights from the weekend.
Deaffest 