Films that truthfully depict deaf characters are about as rare as people in the mainstream who know sign language. For every "The Miracle Worker" and "Children of a Lesser God," there's a "Hear No Evil" (a deaf woman can't hear the villains after her) or "In The Company of Men" (a deaf woman is the focal point of a misogynist's revenge scheme) that use deafness only as a plot gimmick.
Additionally, few people are probably aware that varying and incompatible versions of sign language exist throughout the world (just like many spoken foreign languages) and that in many countries deaf individuals face long odds of leading "normal" lives in societies where they cannot be commonly understood.
Thus, the interest and pleasure in discovering a film such as "Beyond Silence," the German production that received a 1997 Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language film. Not only is the picture a well produced and satisfying drama, but it's also an intriguing look at not only being deaf, but being that way in a country where sign language is not publicly accepted.
While the film doesn't explore the issue of how hearing children born to deaf parents learn to speak (a point I was curious about), it does present a carefully constructed and co-dependent world between deaf parents and their hearing kids. Here, not only does Lara have to act as an interpreter, but she must also explain to her parents what things sound like. It's something most hearing people don't even pause to consider, but such moments do provide the film with some truly touching, and interesting moments.
Somewhat similar to another film dealing with a deaf character, "Mr. Holland's Opus," this film uses the sound and overall concept of music as both a symbolic metaphor directly related to a deaf person's aural limitations, but also as a strong and quite believable plot element. As such, and since Lara's parents depend on her as much as she does on them, her urgent desire to learn music drives a wedge between their worlds.
This particularly affects her father who's had a deep-seated hatred of music after a traumatic childhood experience where he was severely reprimanded (immediately and long-term) for laughing at his sister's recital that he could see, but not hear. As Lara becomes more musically proficient, her father believes that his part in her world is slipping further from his reach. At one point he signs to her, "Sometimes I wish you were deaf -- Then you'd totally be in my world." That whole dramatic element works quite well and is superbly presented throughout the production.
The performances are also quite good across the board with several of them being outstanding. In particular, the two young women who inhabit Lara at different ages are great. Young Tatjana Trieb, who makes her feature film debut, is delightful in her role as the precociously mature girl. Not only does she deliver a superb performance -- especially considering it's her first cinematic outing -- but reportedly she also had to learn sign language and how to play the clarinet for the part. The handoff of the character from Trieb to Sylvie Testud (one of France's rising film stars) is only a little jarring (mainly because of our admiration of Trieb, but also do to the substantial age change), but we quickly warm to her and her performance.
Howie Seago (a deaf performer seen in several stateside TV shows) is also quite good in his role. Perfectly playing the concerned and distraught father, our only disappointment in his character is that he's nearly always sullen -- a pleasant or happy look on his face would have made him more sympathetic, but Seago still does a wonderful job. The supporting performances, from Emmanuelle Laborit as Lara's beautiful mother to Sybille Canonica's take as Lara's supportive aunt, are also quite good.
Writer/director Caroline Link ("Kalle, the Dreamer"), making her feature film debut, has crafted a superb little film about this young woman, her deaf parents, and their need for her to communicate with the outside world. Link has designed some wonderful moments that hearing people (especially in the U.S.) don't ever think about, such as a deaf congregation signing a song that they're singing, and young Lara interpreting her mother's favorite romance movies on TV for her (since they don't have closed captioning). In addition, she's also delivered some impressive visuals. Perhaps the best is the opening scene, where we're underneath a frozen lake, looking up through the ice, and hear only the muffled sounds of ice skates traveling overhead.
For once, the subtitles on a film actually work to its benefit. Many films, such as "Children of a Lesser God," have the hearing character audibly repeat what the other person is signing -- a somewhat necessary device for mainstream audiences. Here, however, the audience (and we're referring to non-German speaking moviegoers), must read the subtitles and are thus put on something more akin to an equal playing field with the deaf. While it may only be momentary, that effect and the film in general make one understand and appreciate what's often taken for granted. "Beyond Silence" is a satisfying, emotionally moving, and quite exemplary picture that you should go see. We give it an 8.5 out of 10.
![[Screen It]](https://www.screenit.com/images/screenit_subscriber_logo.jpg){kind=logo}
![[Around the World in 80 Days]](https://www.screenit.com/images/posters/movies/around_the_world_in_80_days_2022_small.jpg)
![[Family Camp]](https://www.screenit.com/images/posters/movies/family_camp_small.jpg)
![[Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]](https://www.screenit.com/images/posters/movies/doctor_strange_in_the_multiverse_of_madness_small.jpg)