A new documentary is set to shine a light on Deaf people in India.
Remarkably, despite having the largest Deaf population in the world, of 18 million, it is said that there are only 250 sign language interpreters.
Sign language has not been recognised, and there is very little access, with “no captions on television, no instructions for deaf people at public places, no TTY, no instruction through sign language in Deaf schools and no Deaf college or a university for Deaf people.”
The makers of Beyond Silence say it is “a documentary made with an intention of understanding the perspective of deaf people in India. India, a country with a population of around one billion people, lacks the basic infrastructure and social consciousness to accommodate the “voices” of deaf people.”
They also say the film “is a celebration of deafness,” which “questions and argues about concepts and ideas about ‘being handicapped’.”
Here’s the trailer:
The documentary is screening at the 0110 International Digital Film Festival in Whistling Woods in Mumbai on Feb 6,2013 between 2-5pm.
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Robert Mandara
March 4, 2013
Thought-provoking little video clip! Each to his or her own but I simply don’t understand how anyone could wish for their whole family or everyone in the world to be deaf.
Lana
March 4, 2013
Robert, it is naturally for any Deaf to wish the whole world to be Deaf too if one has NO access to anything on earth – no info – no understanding from TV – social exclusion etc
Robert Mandara
March 4, 2013
Lana, thanks to the power of hearing aids I’m deaf rather than Deaf and appreciate the world of sound around me. While it would be good for everyone to experience being D/deaf for a day to increase understanding, there’s no way I could wish everyone to be permanently Deaf. If people with other handicaps wish the same way as you, what would the world ultimately be like? We’d all be permanently deaf, blind, mad and in wheelchairs. Hardly a dream scenario is it?
Editor
March 4, 2013
Really depends whether you see it as a handicap, Robert. Some don’t!
ArdenholmeGenealogy
March 4, 2013
Will this documentary be shown in UK television or at Deaffest? It would be great to see it and count ourselves lucky with a better number of interpreters in the UK.
ArdenholmeGenealogy
March 4, 2013
Will this be screened on UK television or at Deaffest? It would be good to see it and count ourselves lucky to have a good number of interpreters for our Deaf population.
wix4ever
March 5, 2013
Following on from Robert’s and Lana’s comments, I think the clip is about the PRIDE that Deaf people take in their deafness. Many people in the Deaf Community don’t regard their inability to hear as a disability at all. In fact they regard it as something to be proud of. That’s why it’s not really surprising to find Deaf people saying they wish other folk were Deaf too.
Annelies
March 6, 2013
Hi – I live in Mumbai and the people in the movie are my friends, husband, brother in law and sister in law. Its funny that this movie is spread now as it is at least five years old. I dont know where they get the figure of 250 interpreters because the real figure is much less, but the trailer is misleading: the movie is not at all about interpreters, it’s really more about deaf people’s experiences. The girl who says that she would want everyone to be deaf has two deaf brothers and a lot of miscommunication with her hearing parents – she wishes for better communication. The man who says that he would love the thought of the whold world to be deaf (my husband) is signing “communication would be smooth”.
Beyond Silence
March 11, 2013
Thanks for pointing it out , we have added that line.