Coming up on Sunday the 27th of March 2022 is the third episode of Deaffest: Rewind, this time with the spotlight on world-renowned Deaf comedian, John Smith!
Our host, Adam Bassett, interviews John about his career as a comedian and how he has grown to become internationally known. He is a prominent performer at Deaffest and even performed at the very first Deaffest back in 2006!
The video will be available online this Sunday, the 27th of March, at 7:00pm via this website. Alternatively, you can watch it on YouTube via our social media links.
To purchase your ticket for Friday evening, Saturday daytime and evening, see the information below.
Due to tickets for Saturday’s Film & TV Awards Gala Evening being in high demand, we advise you to book as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.
All tickets are non-refundable. Please order tickets below. For any other queries please contact us at: enquiries@deaffest.co.uk.
If you have purchased your ticket online, you will receive an email confirmation. You must bring this to Deaffest as proof of confirmation (we accept email confirmations shown on smartphones or on paper), and we will then give you a wristband. Please ensure that you wear your wristband at all times.
If you have purchased your ticket and have not received an email from us, please check your junk/spam folder.
Join us for the launch of Deaffest 2022: Unlocked!
6.30pm – 10pm: Launch party in the courtyard followed by light refreshments, with film screenings and entertainment in Cinema One. All ages welcome! (Age 16 and under must be accompanied by a parent/ guardian).
8pm – 10pm: Launch of Deaffest 2022 in Cinema One. There will be exclusive screenings from HearArt, including Hair Uncovered directed by Cathy Heffernan, Night Shift directed by Bim Ajadi, and One Letter directed by Brian Duffy. There will also be an exclusive screening of Diagnonsense directed by Samuel Dore from BSLBT. (Cinema One doors will close at 8.15pm, there is no entry after this time.)
10pm – 1.30am: Networking party in the courtyard (you must be 18 or over to attend this event).
Tickets are available to buy online from now until Friday 6th May at 1pm, or you can pay at the door (cash only) on Friday 6th May from 6.30pm – 8pm.
Saturday 7th May 2022: Daytime Events
Collect your Deaffest goody bag and have a browse around the stalls fair in the courtyard from 9am to 5pm. Get involved in our exciting workshops and unlock your potential. Re-connect with the rich culture of Deaf films and arts at our 14th festival by watching a showcase of films and documentaries by UK and international filmmakers and checking out the Art & Photography Exhibition in the Gallery featuring the works of deaf artists and photographers. Come along to the discussion panels and find out the latest developments in film and media.
(AGE 16 AND UNDER – FREE ENTRY)
Tickets are available to buy online until 4pm on Saturday 7th May. Alternatively, you can buy tickets from the Deaffest stall (cash only) on Friday 6th May from 6.30pm – 8pm and Saturday 7th May between 10am – 4pm.
ON THE DOOR TICKET | Sat 7th May 2022: Film & TV Awards Gala & Late-Night Party
Dress up in your finest garments and join us for wine and canapés before enjoying an evening of entertainment Unlocked by our performing artists! Find out who the winners will be at the much-anticipated Film & TV Awards Gala. Join the Late-Night Party in the courtyard afterwards and catch up with old and new faces. The stage is open for anyone who wishes to perform, so if you have a talent whether it’s dance, VV, poetry, or sign song, feel free to show us!
Light House doors open at 7pm.
8pm – 11pm: Film & TV Awards and entertainment in Cinema One (the doors will close at 8.15pm, no entry after this time).
10.30pm – 2.30am: Late-Night Party hosted in the Courtyard.
You must be 18 or over to attend, the dress code is smart casual.
Due to tickets for Saturday’s Film & TV Awards Gala Evening being in high demand, we advise you to book as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.
Tickets are available to buy online from now until Friday 6th May at 1pm.
ON THE DOOR TICKET | Sat 7th May 2022: Late-Night Party Only
Join the Late-Night Party in the courtyard and catch up with old and new faces. The stage is open for anyone who wishes to perform, so if you have a talent whether it’s dance, VV, poetry, or sign song, feel free to show us!
You must be 18 or over to attend, the dress code is smart casual.
Light House doors open at 10.30pm.
Tickets are available to buy online from now until Friday 6th May at 1pm.
9am – 5pm: Chill out with friends at the Light House’s Lock Works café with coffee and food before enjoying some film screenings in Cinema One. There will be a subtitled film screening in the afternoon which will be announced at Deaffest weekend!
For information about accessibility at the Light House Media Centre, please visit here. Please contact enquiries@deaffest.co.uk for further details.
Find out more about our shortlisted nominees for the Deaffest 2022 Film and TV Awards.
Here/Not Here | Dir. Bim Ajadi, UK
Deaf hip hop music drama exploring sign language, dance, football and visual vernacular.
Hope | Dir. David Ellington, UK
Hope is a care-free, fun-loving Deaf teenager. But a fatal cancer diagnosis is about to turn her life upside down.
Illustrating Sam Newton | Dir. Lily Drummond, Australia
When Charlie, an extroverted visual arts student from New York messages Sam, an introverted photographer from Adelaide, Australia, both of their worlds turn upside down. But Sam has a secret they don’t want to share online; they’re deaf. As Sam and Charlie get closer, they two discover that art really is our universal language.
Veneer | Dir. Louis Neethling, UK
Life seems to be passing middle-aged Mimi by until an incident at work shakes her out of her comfort zone and her life is irrevocably changed.
2AM | Dir. Samuel Ash, UK
Is everything real? Don’t stay up until 2am.
Louder Is Not Always Clearer | Dir. Toby Cameron, UK
For most a dinner party is a chance to unwind and relax but for Jonny, who is Deaf, it’s a constant struggle to keep up with his friends and their ever-changing conversations.
Disinterested and tired of misunderstandings, Jonny leaves a dinner party taking the viewer on an audio-visual, time-traveling adventure, offering up moments from his life where his deafness has landed him in sticky situations.
It is adapted from the critically acclaimed theatre production of the same name.
Silent World | Dir. Charlie Dennis, UK
Silent World is a creative exploration and amplification of the covid-19 pandemic as experienced from the eyes of Signkid a deaf rapper in London. It is a musical short film which creatively explores the ‘silent world’ that has intensified and deepened for D/deaf people in the course of the COVDI pandemic. It visualises the sense of isolation, fear and societal disconnection that the hearing world has been experiencing – the sort of isolation the D/deaf people experience every day.
What if? | Dir. Teresa Garratty, UK
After a bad break-up, Jess focuses on rebuilding her life and her self esteem. Dating someone new might help, but what if it all goes wrong? Only one way to find out.
Mister Michel | Dir. Julien Bourges, France
Taken from a true story and set in France, the film is the story of a temporary substitute nurse’s in-home experience with a retired patient and her discovery that he is the victim of a terrible misjustice.
Old Mother Tongue | Dir. Mark Trifunovic, Canada
A Deaf man grapples with his sense of identity in a hearing world and is taken on a fabulistic journey through time one of the most significant events in Deaf history: The Milan Conference on the Education of the Deaf 1880, When sign language was banned from use in education.
The Multi | Dir. Storm Smith & Mikail Chowdhury, USA
An isolated Black Deaf woman constructed a world of order to keep a childhood trauma buried deep, then an unexpected turn of events forces her to confront her demons of her past who threaten to destroy everything she built.
The Perfect Darling | Dir. Fabien Geret, France
Loane, a young girl, works as a home help for people with disabilities. She has a wonderful love affair with Alex and they connect very often. Will their relationship succeed in becoming a reality?
Deaf, Little & Loud | Dir. Rosie Benn, UK
Deaf children are still falling behind their hearing peers in school. ‘Deaf, Little and Loud’ is a See Hear special that dives headfirst into investigating the importance of access to sign language from a young age.
Radha Starr, who fronts the programme, explains that it’s the first time in See Hear’s history where cameras are rigged in a classroom with primary school age deaf children to see how well they will respond to a series of exercises designed to show the benefits of early access to sign language. The exercises are led by Alysha Allen, a renowned deaf teacher and observed by two guest experts; Dr Kate Rowley and Dr Patrick Rosenburg.
We learn the importance of facial expressions and communication between teachers and deaf students and we witness a full immersive education experience as Alysha leads a series of exercises- ranging from story-telling to building blocks.
In between the tasks, we go home with some of the participants to find out more about their background and their family life. Within the home footage provided by the families, we learn more about how early access to sign language has benefitted them as individuals.
The programme ends on the experts’ closing thoughts on the importance of access to sign at an early age, with the general consensus that when deaf children are given a fully immersive education experience, there’s no reason why deaf children shouldn’t be on par or even surpass their peers.
Four Deaf Yorkshiremen Go Dating | Dir. Louis Neethling, UK
Comedy series about the adventures of four grumpy old deaf men in a Yorkshire village. In this episode, three of the men go on dates. Tim is desperate to make a good impression when he goes out with Madeline, while Angus and Vikram have a dating competition – with Vikram as the judge. Can Tim depend on the men’s advice? Can Angus stop himself from taking the dating competition too seriously and stay on his daughter Dawn’s good side? And who will win the competition?
BBC See Hear on Tour | Dir. Camilla Arnold, UK
Nadeem Islam is back on our screens for See Hear on Tour: Staycation, but this time it’s a bit different with COVID-19. Nadeem shows us how to holiday, pandemic style! Cue hand sanitiser, masks and social distancing!
In this episode Nadeem travels to Jersey to meet Lynn Stewart-Taylor who gives him a tour of the island. With Lynn, Nadeem meets the Jersey cows that produce the rich, creamy milk that makes their ice cream world famous. He then learns how oysters are a sizeable source of income for Jersey. Lynn and Nadeem head out to Long Beach with an expert, Trudi Cox, to learn how to fish for oysters. They then get the opportunity to sample some fresh oysters but what does Nadeem make of them?
Nadeem learns more about the occupation of Jersey during World War Two and how even though the island was demilitarised, bunkers were erected by the Germans and the island became a fortress against the Allies.
The tour ends on St Brelade beach where Nadeem learns how to paddleboard under the wing of Scott, a Jersey native. How does he fare?
This is Deaf: LGBTQIA+ Life | Dir. Giles Bowman, UK
In this episode we discuss being Deaf and part of the LGBTQIA+ community. We talk to members of the community to find out how attitudes have changed over the decades.
Lost, Taken, Murdered | Dir. Vivien Sabel, UK
Lost, Taken, Murdered was written days after the horrific murder of George Floyd. The Director felt the words alone would not convey the depth of feeling experienced by people across many nations. As a CODA and former BSL Interpreter her instinct led her to employ the services of a Deaf Actress whom she has seen and met in a performance in early 2020.
The actress, Raffie Julien and Vivien worked closely on translation. They wept each and every time they worked together to produce this short film. This powerful and emotive film has been officially selected for 5 international film awards. It was a finalist (Second place) in Jump Cut Film Festival 2021.
Magic Hands Black History | Dir. Aimee Campbell-Nottage, UK
Music and black culture historically go hand in hand. The new series of Magic Hands covers the iconic songs that represent the incredibly varied range of music created by black artists, from Nina Simone’s ‘Young, Gifted and Black’ to Bob Marley’s ‘Three Birds’. Building on the hugely popular and successful ‘Magic Hands’ format, two of the presenters will open the programme in a location that bears some link to black history such as the Nelson Mandela statue in London. They will then deliver some context linked to the location – ranging from slavery, the fight for civil rights, history of activism and important figures, delivered openly but sensitively and age appropriate – before presenting and performing a song with the regular ‘Magic Hands’ animated characters Leapy, Click-Clack, Pixie, Pink Bird, Bobbles and Sheba.
Scotland, Forgive me | Dir. Will Clark, Scotland
This Fine Art Poetry film is about how a Deaf person struggles to find their own identity and connection to the country they were born in – using a raw poem and visuals to tell a story.
The Pumpkin King | Dir. Paul Miller, UK
Young twins, Anders (deaf) and Aurora (hearing) share a very special bond. They come from an old Scottish mythical village called Oban. One morning, happily playing in the park as they did most days, they found something out of the ordinary. That night the unimaginable happened and Anders is once again faced with a new mystery. Will the ancient artefact help him this time?
Getting Personal with Richard D France | Dir. Cathy Heffernan, UK
Getting personal is an interview programme in which presenter Deepa Shastri meets Richard D France, a poet, writer and a mental health campaigner.
Strange Signs | Dir. Kateryna Pavlyuk, UK
Strange Signs sees three Deaf women with migrant backgrounds relate, in their own words and signs, their stories of identity, access and ability in the UK. Weaving their diverse, intersectional experiences, the film offers three distinct accounts of what it means to be a Deaf migrant woman in hearing, British society.
Summer in Lockdown | Dir. Cathy Heffernan, UK
Ix members of the Deaf community recall the fear that gripped Britain during the Covid-19 crisis, and give us an insight into how the pandemic and lockdown affected their lives.
The Time is right for us | Dir. Stanko Pavlica, Switzerland
Markus Huser, the young, deaf man was an activist to the bone and one of the most important initiators of self- advocacy for the deaf in Switzerland, the advancement of which he played a decisive role in during the 1980s. His achievements include the provision of state funding for deaf organisations and enabling the deaf community to stand up for their needs with greater confidence. At the height of his achievements, Markus Huser became very badly ill too early. Despite this blow, he fought right up to the end for the self-determination of the deaf in Switzerland.
Julien Bourges | Mister Micheal, France
Mark Trifunovic | Old Mother Tongue, Canada
Natasha Ofili | The Multi, USA
Teresa Garratty | What if?, UK
Aimee Campbell-Nottage | Magic Hands Black History, UK
Camilla Arnold | BBC See Hear on Tour, UK
Cathy Heffernan | Summer in Lockdown, UK
Mark Trifunovic | Old Mother Tongue, Canada
Jonny Cotsen | Louder Is Not Always Clearer, UK
Kevin Walker aka Signkid | Silent World, UK
Nadeem Islam | Here/Not Here, UK
Ryan Pendley | Here/Not Here, UK
Natasha Ofili | The Multi, USA
Natasha ‘Raffie’ Julien | Lost, Taken, Murdered, UK
Ralitsa Rodriguez | Old Mother Tounge, Canada
Zoë McWhinney | The Perfect Darling, France
Ahmed Mudawi | Dismantling Racism, UK
Deepa Shastri | Getting Personal with Richard D France, UK
Donna Mullings | Dismantling Racism, UK
Nadeem Islam | BBC See Hear on Tour, UK
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