The Silent Child | Oscar® Winning Short Film

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Please turn on captions, as they are essential for the sign-language used throughout this film.
A deaf 6-year-old girl named Libby lives in a world of silence until a caring social worker gives her the gift of communication.
Ddeaflinks Staffordshire have been providing a vital service for the deaf and hard of hearing community in Staffordshire since 1868. Thank you for donating: www.justgiving.com/campaign/a...
"Gorgeously shot and perfectly performed, the movie delivers an emotional wallop that many features six times its length never achieve” - The New York Times
"Effortlessly heart-tugging" - Los Angeles Times
"A rich script from first-time screenwriter Rachel Shenton” - IndieWire
"It’s beautiful and it’s a real little movie. I loved it” - The Hollywood Reporter
Written by: Rachel Shenton
Directed by: Chris Overton
Produced by: Rachel Shenton, Chris Overton, Rebecca Harris, Julie Foy
Associate Producer: Ali Farahani
Production Company: Slick Films
Starring: Maisie Sly, Rachel Shenton, Rachel Fielding, Philip York
Cinematography: Ali Farahani
Music by: Amir Konjani
Edited by: Emily Walder
Sound Design: Greg Claridge
Executive Producers: Danny Ormerod, Vanessa Johnstone, Terry Murphy, Mo Chaudry, Ian Lowe
Distributed exclusively by Network Ireland Television (NITV) worldwide. Visit our website www.networkirelandtelevision.com.
Follow us on Instagram for NITV updates: / networkirelandtelevision
Many thanks to Elena Dafouli for providing Greek translation for the subtitles.

[@graceofcod4495]

Watching everyone talk and laugh at the dinner table without interacting with Libby broke my heart! How lonely she must be

[@iriszhuz7]

yea, im now learning sign just bc of this short film

[@BM-nr8wh]

Yep. The plight of many deaf folk. Must be horrendous when you are the same as everyone else inside 😔

[@BM-nr8wh]

@@iriszhuz7 ❤️

[@masterchicken9964]

Listen lack of interaction between parents and their children is a very common thing . I know this since my mother talks to me very little and i don't even have a disability. So can someone pls explain?

[@graceofcod4495]

Master Chicken I understand where you're coming from BUT my point was that the mother and father are interacting with the other kids and because it seems too hard to make the effort they simply ignore her completely

[@ravena1441]

It's sad how the brother seemed more interested in Libby's signing than the parents did. He genuinely looked amazed when she signed orange juice

[@maudestephens7086]

Yes,and then the sister attributed it to having a crush on the teacher, not, learning signing. People are ignorant.

[@ravena1441]

@@maudestephens7086 I'm pretty sure he did have a crush on the teacher, based off of how he reacted to the whole thing about his hair. But even if having a crush on the teacher sparked his interest in learning sign language, it's still a good thing.

[@juliehurdman2257]

Maybe he'll advocate for her someday. Brothers can be amazing.

[@funsquadlove7133]

Yes

[@readerunite]

It really isn't unusual for siblings, best friends, and classmates pick up on someone with differences. My son had a friend in class from first grade that had learning issues. He was a smart boy, but needed to learn differently . The third grade teacher would explain the math problem to the class and began to realize my son and a few other children would explain how to do it in the way Michael could understand it. The parents were trying things as well, but didn't have the same experiences and insight as a child.

[@BlueFoxxo]

I am Libby. 45 years ago. I was diagnosed at age 4 but my mom and my great aunt were born deaf/hard of hearing. They were forced to go to hearing mainstream schools. Both dropped out in high school because back then there were no supports for Deaf/deaf children. It was "sink or swim". I was forced as well and my mom always forced me to "pass" for hearing, no matter how hard, lonely, or even physically painful and tiring it was. I was never allowed to learn sign language and never encouraged to meet other Deaf children or adults. My own deaf mother made me feel ashamed and made me hide what I truly was. Today, my own deaf teenaged child is in a Deaf program in a good mainstream, learning with Deaf AND hearing peers, with signing and speaking teachers. We broke the cycle of shame and ignorance. I'm now an advocate and training to work with adults with disabilities. None of this would be possible without embracing my true Deaf self.

[@FromSpaceVu]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@theChedder420]

your not libby liar she is a deaf kid dont take her fame narasist

[@afrozazaman9712]

❤❤❤❤

[@yvonnekneeshaw2784]

U r amazing

[@Liz-sc5dg]

❤❤❤❤

[@lindamac3846]

I've worked with deaf children from preschool through to high school and one student at university. Sadly, this short film represents fairly accurately what a lot of deaf kids go through. Busy parents, no time for Libby, I've seen it many times. If you're a parent watching this, please, please don't underestimate the power of communication. We all do it in different ways, so sign language is just another tool that can help the child and parents.

[@AnnaJaeMusic]

It breaks my heart to read that this happens so often. I have been crying throughout this film, because of the severe neglect the little girl is suffering and was hoping this is a rare occasion. Thank you for the amazing work you do!

[@bogdanp2125]

Thank you. For me this is one of the best and important comments from here.

[@beebuzz959]

I kept noticing they have time to help their other kids advance, but refused to take it for Libby, that would even just be for a short time until they all learned sign, so Libby can just be normal, not even giving Libby the advance in any other curricula like they're giving her siblings. I actually yelled that at the mother through the screen.

[@hajra5419]

So true

[@muhammadasiffarooqi7672]

Brother, my brother is 4 year old. We are confused whether we should do cochlear implant, do all the hardships (device caring, speech therapy etc) . Or, if we put him in a special sign language school, he will be fine in life? What you recommend us. Yes, if we do cochleaar implant, in some years, he will be able to listen and speak. But for that, we will have to burn much money, and time in it.

[@reshmahawa5600]

Heart breaking to see a child suffer like Libby, especially when she has an educated family. Shows that being educated isn’t enough in life, you need to be sensitive & compassionate too.

[@krystalrussell1783]

Full education differs family to family. I signed as a child but not fully like this.

[@poojathakur4589]

Absolutely

[@lienbijs1205]

When do you find somebody educated and why do you think the family is educated?

[@suzanbobette2580]

@@tanyasharma3723 But portrays real events. The point of this movie is that it happens all the time.

[@suzanbobette2580]

@Holly Olivia Field But portrays real events. The point of this movie is that it happens all the time.

[@mary._.yamborghini]

the amount of times the mom shouted goodbye while the daughter wasn't even facing her is infuriating.

[@Julia-lk8jn]

Word. It really was a bit like she was trying to pretend that her daughter was 'normal'. Or maybe it's simpler: just keeping up a habit that made her feel like she _was_ communicating with her daughter. Either way: I very much suspect that this isn't made up.

[@neevakumari7543]

Yes it’s like she is saying goodbye just to day it ... just for sake of it

[@neevakumari7543]

I mean does she realise Libby can’t hear ... god @Julia said it right

[@jiffycook]

Yes!

[@melanieking4357]

l agree, It's only common sense that with a person that is hearing impared would reqire face to face interaction. THis is how we should be speaking to eachother anyway. You don't need to be a specialist to know that when you say goodbye, or anything, that you need to make sure you have eye contact. She couldn't even slow down enough to do that one simple thing that would mnake a huge difference. Then again, l have no children, so who am l to judge.

[@sim.pression8511]

Narcissistic parents often don't want the rejected child to succeed because they feel so much shame, because they themselves could not get the child to achieve anything. This is not just a story about a deaf child. It is a story about a deaf child in a narcissistic family constellation.

[@kggr8458]

I also saw the neglect, the rejected child in Narc Family systems is often even at times severely neglected. Lived experience.

[@CristinaAcosta]

Insightful

[@miapdx503]

Yes, and the child's father was a deaf man that she had an affair with. She saw her child as a result of her adultery...blaming her baby for thing she had no control over. That's something that happens in the "best" of families. Notice she was the only blonde...

[@olivaredito3437]

Working mums are evil to society

[@jollyquinn430]

I know people nowadays live to call everyone a narcissist. But not every overwhelmed and 'too busy' parent who's not able to see their child's need is a narcissist.

[@roxineus]

❤my little sister was born deaf. I attended night classes just so I could learn to talk to her with sign language…the rest of my family slowly followed. Deafness was hard bc children are children and are mean in middle school age but she had lots of support. The adults…us & administrators together made it our responsibility to offer support. Because of the bullying, we were able to create a curriculum that offered counseling and lessons on the subject matter. She is incredibly intelligent and finished school early but kept her behind bc they felt she wasn’t mature enough for college. We agreed that the mainstream schooling experience was tough but the real world is tougher. So again we rallied in support to get her ready. As she moved on to college she was accepted into an Ivy League university, got her Master’s Degree and now is an independent professional living on her own. Strong and Independent. It takes a village but our children are worth it ❤

[@LeZigzag274]

So happy to hear what you did for your sister. What a lot for her with the bullying. I’m sure the support made all the difference. She must be an amazing woman.

[@muhammadasiffarooqi7672]

Brother, my brother is 4 year old. We are confused whether we should do cochlear implant, do all the hardships (device caring, speech therapy etc) . Or, if we put him in a special sign language school, he will be fine in life? What you recommend us. Yes, if we do cochleaar implant, in some years, he will be able to listen and speak. But for that, we will have to burn much money, and time in it.

[@pastexpiry2013B]

I simply cannot fathom why kids would bully someone who is deaf or blind. Perhaps it was my generation; people tended to just bully the 'geeks', but anyone with a disability was hands off.

[@animalfinatic9366]

❤❤❤

[@D_a_234]

Someone once said "Sign language is like a dance with words," and these children should embrace that, not learn to hate it.

[@christinemeleg4535]

I love that phrase, may I use it? I communicate with signing!!!!!!! I lost my hearing as an adult, no more surgeries for me, they didn't work.

[@KhasiXChakuin]

@@christinemeleg4535 yes, you can and best of luck with your life i hope you living a good happy life 😊

[@snezanasoskic8450]

We all should learn this language for better universal understanding and more human life maybe! It is also question of devotion and humanity on one side and superficiality which preveal in life on the other! Great film, great acting!

[@whimsysmith2835]

@@christinemeleg4535 - I really want sign language to be taught in school. For children who CAN hear as well those who can't. I was taught a little sign as a child but they were able to correct my hearing with surgery and they stopped teaching me. Why can't we learn the hand sign for words while we learn the words?

[@simzz3957]

This is why I'm trying to learn sign language

[@lilycocobrambles9514]

I almost cried when Libby signed "I love you" to the social worker! The little girl is adorable and an incredible actress!

[@Cheyla]

I totally did!

[@cecilelyons7178]

Libby didn't have a ''social worker'' she had a teacher for deaf children. Libby had the ugly parents who denied her the right to learn. Great film.

[@juliepremchund9247]

I did cry ...touched my heart

[@elizsabu4694]

I did, that was so moving 😭

[@joytobias-christo9490]

Isn’t she Dakota Fanning?

[@gojo_satoru5526]

I'm also deaf. There are a lot of problems. And my little sister is also deaf but thank God we can at least talk. I don't have any friends. I'm really alone. And now I'm 17. I really want someone to understand how deaf people felt. Every single person with me always hurt me and my sister. Please God bless us and the deaf people too...🙏

[@Despierta_]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@thefriendlyschizo]

The dinner table scene had me crying because I know exactly what that feels like to be out of touch with everyone and you can't be a part of conversations. I'm not completely deaf but very hard of hearing, aids don't help much

[@emr5rmt]

Same. Not deaf, but a lot of sounds like that just come into my brain as "noise" and I can't discern what others are saying.

[@harmony8623]

That moment when Libby is at the table with her family and there is no sound is so incredibly powerful. Sometimes, the lack of dialogue/sound tells everything you need to know.

[@Jasmine-gh2wc]

It was. No one even tries to interact with her. That broke my heart

[@lelamaciolek1166]

I was a bit sleepy when watching this, so instinctively checked the sound on my device. It got me powerful.

[@youmatter5736]

@@lelamaciolek1166 lol

[@harrymills2770]

Until I get a hearing aid, that's ME at the table.

[@evaniathompson3342]

Are you able to get one soon??

[@posiemiller8728]

"My ears are broken." wow that hit hard.

[@fredwillins3910]

Hello posie

[@posiemiller8728]

@@fredwillins3910 uh hello

[@fredwillins3910]

@@posiemiller8728 how are you doing today poise

[@noragdoura9205]

Me too 😭

[@kaylaa7420]

@@posiemiller8728 yo is that a pic from pinterest or is that u lol

[@lailaplaysdbd4004]

My teacher showed this in my child development class today. I got tears when Libby signed, "I love you."

[@catharinamariatheresia1626]

This movie is about all the children whose needs are not seen by their parents, who became invisible in their households. I feel such a love for the woman whom tried her absolute best, regardless of what will happen to Libby… she knows from a very young age it is possible to be seen and loved. Only if it is only by one person.

[@elessarsgirl4883]

The mother was so jealous of their relationship, she put Libby in that school out of spite. If she really loved her daughter, she would've learned sign language.

[@linasrayi4075]

exactly, i couldn't agree more.

[@cerealkiillar]

Big point though--Libby's father was another man outside the marriage. She was born from an adulterous affair. So the mother briefly fought with her husband and gave in when he undermined Libby's work with her new teacher. Moms often side with the stepparent to save the marriage.

[@carolynrobertson8893]

And too lazy to learn the language.

[@dudleybarker2273]

@@cerealkiillar i think you may have that backwards Rose, at 10:45 you can clearly hear the mother say "this girl has come into our house and taken my daughter away from me " (if you turn the volume up quite high)... i think she was embarrassed about the out-of-wedlock child, which is why she neglected her and is now jealous that someone else is giving the child the attention she never could. not to mention the fact that (at 10:11), she clearly shows her reluctance to adopt signing.

[@patsyronat27]

@@cerealkiillar Actually, the mother doesn't want her to learn sign language, and she doesn't want to learn herself. She is not arguing for this social worker at all. The real problem is the lack of love and effort that the mother puts in, unwilling to really love the child and draw her out. This is a story not only of deafness but also of neglect.

[@brookelee5967]

This broke me. I want to hug Libby. Her parents basically can’t be bothered with her and she realizes it. How sad to be a stranger in your own family.

[@shiningwordschannel6564]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYXXcmetg7GFiNk. .

[@Acennza]

I know! I just want to tell her it will be okay, she probably does not know Auslan though... I'm not deaf or anything, I'm just learning Auslan so I can talk to deaf people.

[@yakubduncan9019]

@@Acennza Auslan is very similar to BSL. Not quite the same, but mostly mutually intelligible.

[@carolynworthington8996]

@@Acennza Is Auslan Australian sign language? At first I thought that was a typo, for ASLAN or ASL, American Sign Language!

[@Acennza]

@@carolynworthington8996 its Australian sign language

[@miapdx503]

Also, I've got to say, that young lady who played Libby is a natural, excellent actress! She put me in mind of Dakota Fanning. Every shot was perfection. We'll be seeing more of her in the future. She was truly a wonderful actor. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@Mracle325i]

yes, I was thinking the same. She looks like Dakota Fanning.

[@strawberrylipstick3231]

Movies don't make me cry, but when Libby signed at the gates "I love you" that most certainly hit different. I think it makes me feel more sad because this stuff actually happens in real life and help is so hard to get when we live in a society like we do.

[@pastexpiry2013B]

Sadly I think it is going to get worse. All governments in the west are heavily in debt, and I think there will be less services in the future, let alone special supports for kids with disabilities.

[@strawberrylipstick3231]

@pastexpiry1226 thanks for telling me this 🥲🥲🥲

[@tuicastro4431]

I've just realized that Rachel Stenton, who plays Jo, is the writer and producer of this short movie, so I guess she has someone deaf in her family. Good thing she's raising awareness for deaf people, they're completely capable of doing things normally!

[@itsonlysound]

I'm pretty sure her dad is deaf.

[@Dreamofcyberchloe]

I think I saw her on switched at birth. It's also a serie about deafness.

[@Dionysia6498]

Everything that isn‘t dependent on hearing it for sure... after all per definition that‘s the only „normal“ ability they lack...

[@fmcm7715]

Her dad became profoundly deaf very suddenly the last two years of his life. Just watched a short interview on GMTV with Rachel and the little girl who’s the star of the show.

[@azias417]

I. Have taken classes at my middle school for ASL i can finger sign semi fluently

[@lesasuddath5105]

I’m deaf and proud.. I lived hearing world , so silent.. finally age of 14 I saw deaf world I love it and proud,, HAPPY TOO😊

[@alexsandrarokas7117]

Good! We have to learn how to love ourselves. Maybe you need to step on some toes or slap certain people upside the head.

[@alycewich4472]

@@alexsandrarokas7117 LOL!

[@lv4453]

Lesa, I am so happy that you were able to find a world that you can thrive, grow and be happy. Blessings to you! :)

[@omerzrar4993]

It's a world for everyone without any difference . Those that do things inappropriate are real imperfect in the world

[@MyNewEra2012]

❤️

[@defchefman86]

As a Deaf 36 year old who is also a bilateral Cochlear implant recipient. I stand for Sign Language, Speech & Language Pathology and of course Deaf Culture. We must protect this! Deaf children deserve to participate in Sign Language & be able to feel included. I can relate to this short film and it's definitely heartbreaking!

[@muhammadasiffarooqi7672]

Brother, my brother is 4 year old. We are confused whether we should do cochlear implant, do all the hardships (device caring, speech therapy etc) . Or, if we put him in a special sign language school, he will be fine in life? What you recommend us. Yes, if we do cochleaar implant, in some years, he will be able to listen and speak. But for that, we will have to burn much money, and time in it.

[@defchefman86]

@@muhammadasiffarooqi7672 absolutely look into Cochlear implants

[@serendipitysisters84]

I am not deaf, but I would love it if everyone knew sign language. I think it would be really fun and also you could sign instead of talk... of course! haha. So that is can be very useful even for non-deaf people, such as for communicating far away or when background noise is too loud.

[@Roughfacedgirl]

Cochlear implants can destroy any residual hearing a child may gain in the future. They are designed for hearing society, to make the Deaf child fit into our world. I don't think you should have implants on your brother IMHO. Dont force him into the hearing world but instead join him in the Deaf world.. He has a Deaf community that will rally around him if given the access and opportunity. And also if we all learn sign language you never know we could any of us lose our hearing at any time, illness etc and that way we would still be able to communicate.

[@viveksharma835]

@@muhammadasiffarooqi7672 what did u decide asif?

[@anon6056]

I'm not deaf, but i'm autistic. And i can relate to a lot in this film. The mother who "knows best" agaisnt the advice of people who ACTUALLY know best is very familiar to me. And the bleakness of life that follows. The few adults who crossed paths with me who understood and helped me, i'll always consider them angels. the massage at the end of the film is really striking too. This is a big motivator for me to learn how to sign. And as i'm already interested in helping people with disabilities who aren't like me this is just fuelling me with inspiration to help! Thank you so much. Beautiful, sad, relatable, inspiring, honest, moving film. Thanks so much.

[@Katie_Kochevykh]

My younger sister has autism. I didn't ever think about how she feels, because another my sister and I doubted if she's able to think at all. No offence. Autism can be different. In this film, Libby is so lonely. So sad. When I thought that Liza feels this way, I just started crying and couldn't stop. I don't know you, but I really hope you live a good life (as good as it's possible). I wish you a lot of happy nice days. And I also hope you understood what I wrote cause I'm not native English speaker (I wonder if you are British. I'm Ukrainian)

[@prairietownm3374]

@@Katie_Kochevykh あなたが幸福であるよう祈ります。　遠い日本から。

[@clairejones624]

I’m autistic too and have ADHD. And the people helping me the most are actually not my parents. (Not financially speaking). This video is touching, sad, relatable and inspiring. I truly appreciate this video.

[@clairejones624]

@ Катерина Кочевих Yes, Autism is definitely different from being deaf. However I still can relate to some things in this video. And Autistic people can think. Just differently.

[@pastexpiry2013B]

You're a better person than most.

[@hcyl3y461]

Is no one talking about how good of an actress that little girl is?! She is amazing!

[@lxmitedsxpreme2543]

I agree

[@jax_plays1513]

I agree too I agree to

[@asifzafar9175]

Agree

[@iloveowls90]

@@Kimmyleelee15 or she is an good actress without her mom sicne her MOM is an actress as well. kids can act without their mom being there any kid can. Daniel Radcliff did, Emma Watson did. Dont assume just because a mom is there odesnt mean a kid can act without her or his parents.

[@lydiat5819]

Her acting is superior, so natural. I keep wondering whether she is really deaf. Either way, she is a star.

[@apistosig4173]

To the film makers - I have no idea who you all are but please do not ever stop exercising your craft. Please

[@susanluraschi1400]

kinda formatted...you wonder about the oscar committee but they love teary stuff

[@apistosig4173]

@@susanluraschi1400 NO - I watch soooo much (MIFF an annual indulgence) and this film was very good.

[@kumariprativa1632]

69th like

[@conkshell9445]

EXCELLENT MOVIE ... GOT A LOT INTO 20 mins ...

[@nicole-mt7pk]

Yes

[@maryerichardson8302]

My heart breaks over the ignorance that permeates our society. This film should be required in all schools to educate and enlighten. It takes this kind of brilliance to break down the barriers of humanity’s ignorance. Thank you for breaking my heart open. ❤️

[@euniceahmet1756]

The mother is a right nasty selfish woman . She doesn’t know what’s best for the little girl . That little girl should be taken out of that mothers care and the mother should be banned from any contact with her and banned from ever having children. The mother is an ignorant horrible woman who knows nothing about what’s best for her daughter . The sign teacher was brilliant . Wonderful though

[@pamelaw1857]

Rachel Shenton is a national treasure. So talented.

[@phuonganhajh9917]

I cried the moment the supporter signed " I love you" and went away.

[@purvikaurraina297]

But can you explain me the end, does the go away like that?

[@veronicasanacion]

@@purvikaurraina297 She left because she understood there was nothing she could do to help the girl any further.

[@gnanasekarthiyagarajan7680]

@@purvikaurraina297 thats for part 2

[@purvikaurraina297]

@@veronicasanacion that's too sad🥺

[@purvikaurraina297]

@@gnanasekarthiyagarajan7680 got it

[@bugavila2314]

Does she like the park? I haven't taken her there since she was tiny. Wow. That tells a lot.

[@stephanie3848]

She still is tiny!

[@theyearthreethousand911]

@@stephanie3848 exactly

[@theyearthreethousand911]

she a little kid still

[@SummaGirl1347]

Her mother wrote her off at diagnosis. It happens to a lot of disabled and deaf children.

[@buttholesadness5239]

4:45

[@dhage6962]

I literally teared up when Libby signed "i love you" to Joanne This is just so beautiful 😭

[@AyanAhmed-yr6ey]

I cried at that last scene, watching this was very emotional yet informative. A greatly executed short film, it was Oscar worthy.

[@ninamagerle2991]

18:40 That's exactly how it is when you're passionate about helping others who can't help themselves and it doesn't work. You know they'll be alone. It breaks your heart. And then you have to hear "I know what's best for my child" from parents

[@availanila]

Especially when they are wrong.

[@rosieleat6868]

I am so sick of fucking stupid selfish people

[@su-rv2uq]

What the mother meant is "I want what is easiest for me" regardless of the impact on the child. How selfish do you have to be to force your child to live in complete isolation, even within their own family. No interaction with anyone, no learning, no fun, no living, because your parents are too self centered to lift a finger to help.

[@DragonGoddess18]

I'd say, "No, you just want it easy since you think you're more perfect and powerful than God Himself. You're not a mother,you're just selfish."

[@eileenpizzi351]

It seems the mother was more concerned with how "normal" the little girl looked than with actually helping her improve her ability to communicate. And neither parent could arrange at least a half hour to discuss things with Jo? No one is that busy.

[@hattypreston6781]

Not unless they make themselves busy

[@jeanettereynolds3151]

They didnt want the stigma well the mother didnt

[@suzanneedmonds1566]

@@jeanettereynolds3151 Libby's deafness was a constant reminder of the mother's infidelity as Libby obviously inherited her lack of hearing from her biological father whose father was profoundly deaf.

[@jeanettereynolds3151]

@@suzanneedmonds1566 wow disgusting

[@histamine53]

I think the mother is jealous. I felt jealous about a sort of Joanne who clicked so well with my son on autism spectrum. Then I copied her, I would try to be just like her to establish communication.

[@ProfessorChomsky]

I knew I shouldn't have watched this on the "this is going to have me in tears" grounds, but as was mentioned in the film - and it was absolutely beautiful - and at the end deafness is NOT a disability. A wonderful, heartbreaking but educational piece of brilliance x

[@miriamrobarts]

It is a disability. They are not able to hear. It's just not a *learning* disability. It's good to be sensitive and inclusive. I think that can be done without going into denial about a person's abilities and disabilities. "Disability" is often treated as a bad word. I think it's better when people treat it as a fact. It doesn't have to be a big deal; it's just something that needs extra consideration. I have chronic illness & some physical disabilities. I have joints that don't work properly & look strange. I don't need to try to pretend that my body is normal. A person can be "normal" even if their body isn't. Everyone wants to fit in with those around them. We can achieve this by focusing on the things we have in common, and the things we admire about one another. It's important to make an effort to see the person first, and the disability second. Every person on earth has things that are difficult, or that we are unable to do. Some are just more obvious than others.

[@ProfessorChomsky]

@@miriamrobarts Hi, I guess that's what I was meaning, as in not a disability that means a person is any lesser a person.. As in something different doesn't mean something inferior - just different. Take care.

[@miriamrobarts]

@@ProfessorChomsky Yes, I could tell you meant it in a positive way. ❤ I just want to encourage people to be ok with the word "disability" and the fact that some people aren't able to do things. It's not the end of the world. It's ok to notice that someone is different. I think the more it's normal to recognize disabilities & not be afraid to say someone can't do something, the more those people will be able to get the help they need and deserve. For example, if the Mom in the film was able to admit that her daughter couldn't hear, and couldn't understand people, we wouldn't have this sad story. For me, it's things like when someone notices I have trouble and simply holds the door for me. When we can treat others like it's normal that they need help, we can replace negative feelings about disabilities with positive feelings of friendship & community.

[@DavidVargas-tc2vx]

AS an ASL Teacher, I use this film as part of my of my curriculum when Reading and Teaching Chapter 10 and 11 of "A Place of their Own". I am astonished how such a short film can make such a huge impact on our students; it is a great film that helps broaden their perspectives on oralism vs. signing methods. I can also relate to the same experience Libby has - I was also subjected to the rigidities of speech therapy and speech reading which benefited me to a degree, but sadly I have to say that much time was wasted on practicing speech rather than focusing on academics. This is an awesome short film that wastes no time at getting to the point.

[@libbyseowseet6244]

The actress for Libby is actually a girl called Maisie Sly that is deaf in real life. She was born in 2011. She is going to be an aspiring actress next time. She is an actual star.

[@lydias342]

That’s amazing! That means the cast and crew directed her in a way she would understand.

[@gracesemenzato8743]

God bless her !!! She 's a clever girl !

[@alexisjacob07]

Yes

[@maitemardomingo272]

Waow amazing!

[@alycewich4472]

@@gracesemenzato8743 Deafness doesn't change the intellect, it just changes the way you communicate.

[@BM-nr8wh]

Incredible how the mother is jealous of the woman helping her daughter, when she doesn't even want to attempt to learn sign language herself. Cruel woman.

[@nicolethompson9085]

I think she is more probably just self absorbed and a little scared. She's not thinking about Libby, but about herself. She hasn't figured out yet how to put Libby's needs and feelings before her own.

[@Julia-lk8jn]

Not wilfully cruel I think, but maybe resentful. You know, they way that D students focus on having a grudge against A students, instead of focusing on what they can do themselves? I've heard the "oh, I _would_ do all that but I'm so busy, I just don't have time to work out / quit smoking/ address my problems" excuse so often, and sometimes it's just to justify giving up on something. My guess is that the mother just slipped into a "well, she's quite and introverted, nothing anybody can do about it, we'll just accept that she is that way". Then she sees how amazingly vibrant and talkative her daughter can be, and that shoots her "nothing to be done" to pieces and makes her feel (even more) guilty.

[@jasonberreto7065]

@@nicolethompson9085 people like her will probably never figure it out

[@The48lawsofpower]

Health and social workers also speech therapists are not always good at encouraging parents to do the right thing. Some are against sign language for various reasons. Steering parents away from sign.

[@liisadavila]

I'm sure the feelings are so complex. From the conversation Joanna had with the Mother-in-law at the car we learn that Sue's dad, Libby's grandpa, was deaf. Sue grew up with a deaf father and is probably resisting healing her feelings about that. She now has a deaf daughter and tries to act like the deafness doesn't exist to shield herself from pain. I can't imagine the struggle!

[@124MPH]

I'm deaf too, my parents didn't find out until I was four and half years old and aready started school! I was taught to lip read and not sign-language! I can still rember everyone talking among themselves and me just standing there thinking whats going on! very frustration ineded. I feel for this little girl. It can be a lonely world!

[@michellenewman4459]

I'm sorry about you been deaf I was at seven rear ol1d

[@classixdrummer]

The mother pegged it perfectly at first. She is an awful mother. . . . and now you’ve gone and made me cry.

[@joanna6241]

Didn’t take me long to view this and cry! I’ve been deaf since birth, no one knew, At 3 they took my tonsils out because I wasn’t talking. In forth grade I got glasses to wear. My mother took me in to have hearing test, but no one talked to me about it. I was invisible! After seeing this film I thought people were a lot more educated then in my time , Born 1949! It grieves me. May the Lord bless the ones who are able and willing to help the deaf, and may He wrap His loving arms around those who are deaf. He has been my Hope, in getting through tough times. It’s been very difficult now that people wear mask.

[@mishapraisesfavoritecakede8470]

There are masks now that have clear plastic around the mouth. You need to look into that. You can get it for your friends when they come to visit. It makes it so much easier for the lip reading part.

[@trishwatts8181]

I hear you!

[@mgd6087]

My spirit cries over you story. For me, its new measure of human cruelty. I can't even say to "Zoom" calls. I too often only see foreheads and the tops of heads, (and twice a cat 's butt). I am grateful that the internet holds our conversations in time so that we get connection. Thank you for the prayers.

[@joanna6241]

Yes, m gd , most do not understand how difficult it is for those who don’t hear. As I watched the moving and the Silent Child was in the class room, it reminded me how much I most of been day dreaming because I didn’t hear. We can’t help but escape into our own world. I once had a professor as me, “ just let me know what you don’t hear!” HELLO!

[@kirstyi7860]

You offer our only Hope. The pain in that wee girl's eyes as she signed to her friend outside revealed a depth of sorrow that can only be lived to understand and portray. The certainty that you are completely unknown and if known, wholly rejected. Christ allows me to love others by giving to their great charities. He can't come soon enough.

[@mrj.kottari8453]

7:27 When Libby signs "orange" my heart skipped a beat 🧡😭

[@ilovebarbra2]

Mine too

[@elizsabu4694]

Same

[@makedasolomon8542]

When she signed 'I Love You' from the playground, my heart stopped from the vice like grip!!! GULP!

[@ursulag3254]

And the fact that her brother realised shows that people are eager to learn.

[@moss__6293]

I was so proud of her when I saw that. It’s possible to teach people and it’s important to do so

[@yubantwo2086]

What a beautiful & poignant film. In my childhood, my brother & I learned to sign & read & write braille. Our grandfather went blind, our grandmother had vitiligo & our aunt was physically impaired. Learning other modes of communication was normal for us, easy to learn & after a while we loved having languages (we spoke Pig Latin as well) we could speak without others knowing what we were talking about. In adulthood we both speak several languages, both of us mostly for our very different professions and I bc I moved to Europe. Being exposed to expressing ourselves in more than one language opened up so much more of the world to us. This short film was heart breaking to see dramatized how lazy humanity often is by catering to the majority leaving all others behind or forcing them to have to catch up somehow...even something like being left handed never mind race, economic and social differences. Humanity has a long way still to go... hopefully this film will open eyes to some of which needs to be changed.

[@peace.404]

This is an important film to make. I have taught kids and the deaf kid seemed to be in a world apart. I had him teach the class sign language alphabet and “slang” words that they wanted to know, and he became popular.

[@miloute1310]

The mom calling her child "really difficult" in literally her first scene...First of many *major* red flags

[@ari3lz3pp]

I didn't like it but sadly almost every parent I've ever met says that at some point about their children especially around that age. Not knocking the idea of keeping an eye for that stuff but where I'm from you see way worse walking down the street, at the store, at the parks almost any given day. :(

[@marymurrow8869]

@@ari3lz3pp Do you mean that there are much worse parents out there who beat their children and take them out of school too early so that they can support the family - or the family's drinking habits...?

[@wilkizz]

Well the sad part is that mine wouldn't be so wrong if she said that.

[@BloodylocksBathory]

She calls her difficult and yet insists there's nothing wrong with her ability to adapt without sign language. Typical narcissistic parent behaviour.

[@maybee...]

True, she is clearly not this child's mother.

[@lorettaanfo-quaidoo9802]

I cried when she signed to the social worker "I love you". This is an intriguing story.

[@shiningwordschannel6564]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYXXcmetg7GFiNk. .

[@jos.........6339]

It huerts to see houw the parents with her one child does,i cry to....pffffff.......

[@lenkabasova1577]

Me too, I can´t stop cry..

[@akhilmeshram000]

Me too

[@shiningwordschannel6564]

@@akhilmeshram000 🔥🔥

[@katarzynka6000]

This is a very moving film. It touches on a very important topic and shows how ignorance and the wrong attitude can harm the development of a child with dysfunctions. It is unthinkable that the parents set their child up in advance to lose and to fail. They took away the only person who could help her. As a result, it was Libby's parents who turned a deaf to Jo's advice and suggestions. It’s definitely worth watching because conveys a important message!

[@abrilstorms]

I am watching this for an assignment, and it just brought me to tears. I know it's just a movie, but if this accurately represents what many Deaf children go to, my heart is filled with sadness because no child should feel like an outcast.

[@heenapirankar3873]

The fact that her brother took the initiative to understand some signs and knew she was asking for orange juice is appreciable. Edit: Mom I'm famous. Thanks for the likes.

[@priyankachadokar4402]

Ryt

[@salmanayek1505]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqbalJV7id-lnpI

[@changeeyecolor3891]

👍👍👍👍

[@jenica6537]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3y5ooOcorWAqcU

[@criostoirocuinn]

I think he only did it to get close to Joanne though, once she left, his willingness to learn might have left too

[@donnasteele6399]

IMO The mother holds a lot of guilt and shame over the fact that Libby is not her husband Paul’s daughter. She also seems very complacent and lazy in her parenting skills with Libby. Even her older children were taking an interest in sign language. I realize this is just a movie based on fictional characters But it really opened my eyes to the lack of support that some deaf children experience. Wonderful film. I am glad I found it.

[@phalinimcleod8819]

Donna, I kept seeing the thumbnail for this film every time I logged onto KZbin. Today I finally felt guided to watch it, and I'm so glad I did. Now I want to learn sign language!

[@Julia-lk8jn]

I wouldn't call her lazy - she's clearly doing tripple duties with taking care of her children, having a job, bringing her in-law to the hospital and so on. I could imagine that she's feeling that the deafness might be her fault, and guilt is never a productive emotion. She really doesn't know what to do but doesn't want to admit that (also a classic mistake) and she tries to just tread Libby like she would a hearing child (talking to her when Libby can't even see her mother's face) which obviously doesn't work. Not so much lazy but putting her time and energy into the wrong strategy.

[@mgd6087]

@@Julia-lk8jn She's not taking care of her child if there is no communication back and forth. Food and shelter isn't the only thing that is required for "taking care of a child".

[@Romy---]

@@mgd6087 THIS.

[@jerrypeter8893]

You are very beautiful woman with a beautiful smile, I wish you all the best this year, how is the weather over there now

[@monikawagner1469]

What a touching film! And much needed - it shows something very important that people without such difficulties don't pay attention to on a daily basis. It is also unthinkable that a stranger cares more about Libby than her own family. And saddest of all is the lack of love from her mother - knowing she can't hear she says goodbye to Libby without making eye contact... :(

[@cookiecatification]

i can relate to this being on the spectrum and undiagnosed through childhood, my parents thought they could just "train" me to be normal and shamed my traits and pushed instead of offering any support - it did nothing to remove them, just gave me massive trauma and mental illness for life :)

[@marywangen4696]

It is alarming how many hearing parents of deaf children cant sign! My now 20 yr old son is deaf, lost his hearing at 11mnths. I STILL have family that refuses to sign, including his father.

[@paultimwhillans7977]

Refuses to sign? Hmm get with the programme!I

[@carolhomanhei9497]

Perhaps show him this short film? It could show him how your child might be feeling

[@freespirit5662]

@Mary Wangen this is terrible. Your son and you are very brave to deal with this refuse of his Dad.I wish he will realise soon what he is missing and will learn to sign with his son. Good Luck.

[@phalinimcleod8819]

Wow, Mary, that's really sad! Good for you for learning how to sign yourself, and for helping to raise awareness by commenting here!

[@tete7958]

I am the mother of a deaf child. My son is now 39 years old. We sign. I taught sign language at the high school here in town for free and we ended up having sitters who signed. Doug attended deaf classes in a normal school and was mainstreamed when he could. I do not understand not having a school program for the deaf in public schools. He was in scouts, on a little league team, did track and played football. He graduated with a normal diploma, not a special ed one. I am just in shock that something like this could happen now...we have come so far from that.

[@coral_thesea7508]

Aahhhh! I know it's just a short film, but I REALLY want Jo to adopt Libby! Those parents make me so mad. I NEED A PART 2. Pls!

[@kal-muzel875]

I wish for her to at least talk with the school head and make them understand why she is needed and that libby needs her

[@kal-muzel875]

@Kickback Relax yeah but still I would love for the story to have a happy ending 😂😂

[@stevenboxleitner4612]

There should be a P2 where the older brother that was trying to learn sign language a bit and the social worker fight for custody of Libby from her parents and raise her together lol

[@almostmybedtime]

matilda type beat

[@buzzword-valentino]

@@almostmybedtime lol yeah

[@jellyzluv]

18:15 YALL THIS REALLY BROKE MY HEART IM CRYINGGGG

[@marufhasan5767]

Mind blowing acting by that little girl.

[@leighrinker]

I'm legally deaf and I'm only just learning to sign at 42 years old. I felt so alone everywhere I went. I felt so alone within my own family as the only deaf person. I still feel completely alone even though I know that my husband and children love me very much. Today it broke my heart when my husband was talking to me and he turned his back. He forgets and I understand that but yeah it still hurts. The actress is amazing and did so well. With covid I am always alone. Wandering through stores in silence and looking through dirty plastic at cashier's. I go nowhere alone now. I feel like a child all over again. It's dehumanizing.

[@assadaH]

I am sorry to read that you feel alone. Nobody should feel alone especially not because of language barriers. I wish you strenght and happiness. Greetings from Germany

[@brobrebribrabruuu]

I am also so sorry to read how you feel... I am a woman of almost yr age (44). I sometimes also feel lonely because I have no family and live alone in the mountains, countryside in Poland . If you want we can write each other, to cheer up and not feel so lonely. Here is my mail address: [e-mail] Take good care of yourself, warm greetings from Poland

[@santiduran6505]

So sorry you feel this way my son is 9 yrs non verbal we do a few sign language

[@billybobkumar9231]

I truly feel for you, and forgive my ignorance, but I thought that they had several speech apps for cell phones that project a spoken voice for text messages. Couldn't this help you become more independent in stores?

[@wormwood8191]

Octopus Knitter: If it's any help an awful lot of people feel alone these days so your situation is not uncommon and it has nothing to do with your deafness. I've spent a great deal of my life alone due to a lifelong undiagnosed case of autism. I was finally diagnosed in my sixties. However I choose to accept that that's just the way it is and be okay with it. I do a lot of mindfulness work. Most people think that means you meditate a lot but what it means to me is that when I have negative thoughts I release them. It's not the situation but the dwelling on negative thoughts that can cause you to feel the way you do. So many are complaining about the isolation but once this ends many will have far more sympathy for the lonely afterwards which is a good thing. You get to choose what you focus on and you can choose to continue focusing on what you don't like or you can say to yourself, "NO!, I'm going to focus on what's good and what's working well in my life!" or as Oprah would say, focus on graditude. I highly recommend it. That alone will make you feel far better. You may have to catch yourself repeatedly as you slide into negativity but if consistenly pursued, after a month or two it becomes automatic. It takes no time and is easy to do, you just have to pay attention and want to do it.

[@HopeButMiserable]

"I want her to be normal and perfect!" That hit me hard. Its depressing how some people want their children to be "normal". Like, it's not their fault. Let them be who they want to be, people!

[@izievalo6319]

And the thing is ...she is normal! She is just deaf...like it was said in this film:((

[@nonnyena4267]

In '79, i lived at St Gerard's, a Home for Unwed Mothers because i _was_ one AND it was 1979 and girls / women who lived in OUR neigborhood did *_NOT_* do public unwed pregnancy. My Lamaze coach was the social worker who worked in Placement -- linking those of us placing our babies for adoption with their potential parents. (We weren't told names or anything - & we never met them...But she'd give us index cards with parents' ages, family size, hobbies...Well: EVERYTHING except their names & addresses) One night, on the way to class, Terri seemed quiet & a bit withdrawn - _totally_ out of character. So i prodded & she (finally) told me what was wrong. Seems an adoptive couple had discovered at six months that their daughter was deaf, and had essentially gone from the specialist's visit where they learned this straight to Terry's office & _"RETURNED"_ this child! They said they'd been *_promised_* a perfect child & *_SHE_* was NOT *perfect!* They wanted ALL fees - legal, doctor bills, money spent on her clothes, her food...EVERYTHING reimbursed *_TODAY_* and *THE* next baby to become available -- provided (of course) that *_IT_* wasn't also "defective!" All that had happened several months prior to this conversation, but it seems the couple were harrassing her on what had become an almost DAILY basis- they'd followed her into the grocery store, yelling obscenities. Her car got keyed & egged. Racial epithets were sprayed on the tree in her front yard. It had escalated to include Terry's husband, her preacher, her parents... and NOW her school-age children! Now, i am pathologically loyal & protective of the people i love &/or admire. At this point, i was eight months and INCREDIBLY round - especially for me - but I happened to be good friends with my college's basketball players, who'd sort of "adopted" me as their somewhat-"challenged" kid sister. I told her to say the word & i could have a minimum of five guys ranging in height from 6'5" to 6'11" accompanying her &/or her family members anywhere & everywhere they needed to be. She thanked me, but turned me down. I told her that there *was* no guarantee (like *_she_* didn't know that!) I asked if _she'd_ asked _them_ what they would've done if the "mother" had been able to get pregnant and _delivered_ a deaf child? Those "parents" were the *only* family that baby had *_ever_* known and they tossed her away like trash! I could not wrap my head around it. I found myself being (sort of) glad the little girl was deaf - because if _that_ was all it took for them to abandon her..! Well. If that's all it took, better she should get away from those monsters as soon as possible! Imagine what a normal puberty would be like for a child in that house! I told Terry that i knew it sounded weird, but i was tempted to adopt her myself. Weird because i was placing my baby for adoption. Why would i try to adopt _her?_ Why not just keep mine? Because *my* baby did not *need* me. He _needed_ a *Home* safe from the crap that being *my* "illegitimate" child would've buried him under. If i'd brought Home a deaf or blind child, the focus would've been to be sure *_that_* child *knew* it was wanted and loved. Terry assured me that the little girl had been placed in a loving Home where she was quickly embraced by her folks, her siblings & her (new) extended family. [Good thing because, back then, a single woman adopting was NOT a Thing that happened.] BUT i also made Terry pinky-swear (yes i was an adult when this happened!) I made her pinky-swear that if it turned out there was *_anything_* like that regarding my baby - even if his parents didn't blink over it - she'd contact me because i would *_not_* let my child think for even a second i'd "abandoned" him because of something like that. [for those who may ask: i picked out excellent parents for my birth-son. He grew up 'normal' & healthy. He contacted me a few years back to tell me that. We email some & hope to meet (again) in person when Trump's Plague is no longer a threat. I'm in healthcare & his folks are vulnerable. I've had my jabs, ALWAYS mask up, socially ditance, etc. But i'd feel...well, accidently spreading such a thing to him or his folks just doesn't bear thinking on!] sorry this got long.

[@lifeisgood-victoria796]

@@nonnyena4267 You had me until you insert Trump your story. What the bleeper does Trump has to do with your life. Rhetorical question.

[@nonnyena4267]

@@lifeisgood-victoria796 Rhetorical question, but i'll answer it anyway: I'm a healthcare provider: Trump's Plague has affected the lives of my patients - killed some of them, crippled some, and left some orphans or childless. It has affected the way i'm able to give care - Telehealth is NOT the same as seeing a patient in person - watching their gait, the way they move...Sometimes the video & the sound glitches & then i can't even assess speech patterns. Getting accurate vital signs -- I mean, i'm glad we have the alternative so we can at least give SOME sort of care but it isn't close to the same as in-person care. My patients have lost their jobs because of "Lockdown" - i didn't because i'm "essential" - but aren't ALL of us essential - as the head of household or the lead provider or just the best giver of hugs? The anti-maskers - who've helped drag this out for MONTHS longer than it had to be - i can lay that directly at Trump's door. And the new variants can be laid directly at the anti-maskers doors. MILLIONS of Americans sacrificed their livelihoods last spring going into "lockdown." Trump & his administration did NOTHING with their sacrifice. He didn't use that time for testing & contact tracing, which would've saved thousands of lives. He didn't engage the Defense Production Act to increase the production of PPE. He _knowingly_ sent doctors, nurses, Respiratory Therapists, MAs, CNAs, Housekeeping ALL hospital staff into an incredibly compromised situation without adequate information, PPE or warning. AND he _bragged_ on them! MY COLLEAGUES! And just as we were SO _close_ to getting a handle on some things, he egged people out to "STORM THEIR CAPITAL!!" If they could've held on TWO MORE WEEKS... So. Back to the beginning. MAYBE if i'm lucky, i'll get to see my birthson in the fall of 2021. As it is, the failed leadership during the pandemic has meant that i've had to postpone it at least a year. So. Yeah. That's how the fuck Trump's Plague has affected my life. If it hasn't affected yours, you're either damned lucky, not paying attention, or not being honest with yourself.

[@lifeisgood-victoria796]

@@nonnyena4267 Sorry to tell you, but H1N1 is NO more an Obama Plague as it is the CCP virus a Trump's Plague.

[@malika6713]

The way her mother said: "I am her mother and I know what is best for her"

[@betotrono]

I'm a speech therapist in the U.S. I have had several nonverbal children come to me who would have benefited so much from consistent use of an iPad or other similar device to communicate but thre families refused because of their egos. They'd rather let their kids language, without consistent communication, because they're too embarrassed to be seen with a kid who uses an iPad to speak. Fucking pisses me off lol. Cried several times during this.

[@mikkareads]

Yes, me too. I cried, I raged, I wanted nothing more than take that child away from a family willing to condemn her to a lonely existence.

[@doerthemanahan9912]

Excellent example of how parents can damage a child’s ability to cope.

[@jameshurst6344]

How are you doing 😊😊

[@varunemani]

She wasn't Pauls child, but then. 🍷

[@angelacarleton9575]

I recall in the movie when the mother said, "I know her better than you to the therapist in signing. She didn't want to be bothered by her own child let alone big up signing, which is a beautiful language and can reach others that are deaf.

[@tanjaferber1981]

Echt cool Gebärdensprache

[@Barnaos]

I have no idea why this was in my recommendations, but I'm not complaining.

[@mgd6087]

You could be riding along with someone else's more dominant algorithem. You can google it and its complicated.

[@sarahannovistuartdpstudio6417]

I think sinplu because U are impressed by emotional true story and google watched on your list great taste by the way! Lol

[@no.jinxes1]

Same!

[@Barnaos]

@@sarahannovistuartdpstudio6417 lol why thank you! maybe it's something I needed to watch. Although I am not completely deaf I am half deaf, and I know how isolating and difficult it is just been that deaf. Unfortunately I've felt a lot of embarrassment towards my deafness and kind of been in denial about it for most of my life, and tried to hide it, I think that stemmed from being teased as a young child, for wearing hearing aids, so it made me stop wearing them, and that affected my Education immensely. I had to become very good at lip reading. And this mask wearing thing because of covid, I find it impossible to hear anyone, so I am actually in the process of getting hearing aids, for the first time since I was 6, but it's a shame only that has prompt me to get them. A few have said I think sign language should be taught in all schools. I definitely agree.

[@libbyseowseet6244]

It's on everyone's recommendations ;-;

[@EXTRA300s]

@ 18:20 that hurts my soul so bad... Every communication cut off for that poor little child. What a good, realistic movie.

[@sylviagerritsen7975]

It’s so sad. My daughter met two kids at the park that other children wouldn’t play with. She came home and told me they were deaf and she wanted me to teach her ‘hand talking’. I didn’t know sign language so I phoned the school for the deaf to see if she could do a short course. They said no because my daughter was only six and couldn’t write yet. I hired a private tutor. The deaf society made it impossible for a child to communicate with other deaf children. My daughter stuck with it and knows 3 different types of sign language now, it has in fact helped her throughout her life. She is now 39.

[@miriamrobarts]

That's great that you & your daughter persevered when others weren't helpful. I hope groups & institutions are more welcoming to those who want to learn now.

[@fxiansen1469]

As the father of a deaf daughter, now an adult, this film was very meaningful to me. I can remember the first word she signed: bird. The book that set me on the right path was Tom Spradley's "Deaf Like Me". I imagine there are newer books that make the same point, but it was turning point for me.

[@mgd6087]

I pay attention to the first spontaneous words I get in a new language. I also live in a place where there is a giant language divide. We are all so excited when someone even says hello or thank you for the first time across the barrier. Bird is an awesome word to be waiting to acquire. She has a delightful mind!

[@joanna6241]

Would you please share what insight you got from this book? How did it help you with connecting with your child...heart level.?

[@fxiansen1469]

@@joanna6241 - I read Spradley's book a few months after our daughter lost her hearing at 6 months of age. It helped me understand what life would or could be like for her and us, depending upon our choices. We chose to learn sign language and incorporate it into as much conversation as possible, whether directed at her or not. As she grew, I signed the stories I was reading to her and her sister every night. Couldn't quite seat her on my lap as I'd done earlier with her sister, but we made sure to give lots of hugs and kisses and contact to make up for that. To this day, she and I have a warm relationship. We video chat fairly regularly. -- There's more to the story, but time and space don't allow, and I haven't obtained her permission to say more herein.

[@joanna6241]

@@fxiansen1469 Thank you for sharing. It blesses me that you have had a connection with her throughout her life. (Being deaf myself, I didn’t have a family that took on that loving role). May the Lord bless you..

[@Julia-lk8jn]

@@mgd6087 may I ask where you live? I'm so used to smartphones and duolingo that being able to learn basic greetings in a foreign language is just a matter of 15 minutes on the internet.

[@laurenbuttle9397]

“When you have a child you want them to be normal, you want them to be perfect”- no you want them to be happy if you always want your kids to be perfect then don’t have kids

[@cosmicreef5858]

What a lot of people forgets that everything in their lives starts with THEM! If you want someone to act a certain way then experience that by yourself FIRST! If you think that it is impossible then you have EVEN more reasons to not force it on a helpless child!

[@LeZigzag274]

So true. I don’t understand putting your desire for a “normal” child above the actual needs of the child. But it is very common. Heartbreaking.

[@vaska1999]

Well said!

[@brendastanton1924]

As a sign language interpreter, I saw this all the time. The parents might learn to sign yes, no, eat and more. They could never even ask them how their day was. We can learn to sign and enter their world. They can’t just choose to hear and enter ours. We can do better.

[@anushkasharma2521]

Oh my God... I could already feel my heart breaking when Sue yelled I want her to speak. It's really sad to see how insensitive the world and many times even parents can be. I don't have a physician disability but I am an epileptic patient and I would probably not have been here today if my parents wanted me to be 'normal'. This movie is totally a masterpiece!

[@whitexchina]

If I would have a child that can't hear, I would want to do everything to communicate with her. Everyone in that family has their "busy" life & it's like they don't care. She isn't really part of it. So sad!

[@mittens9390]

at least the siblings learned a bit of sign language

[@joanfordham1305]

I am sorry to say it is more common than you think I had a child with hearing problems in my class ~the mother refused to have his hearing tested When we made an appointment from school she refused to attend A second appointment and she had a hair appointment and so it went on...

[@etmother2877]

It is beyond that 🤔 maybe she's not their child 🤔 maybe that strange mother or father ate not biological mother or father 🤔 maybe those boys know something More than we know 🤔 that is why we need more warm-hearted teachers & child protection employees & organizations world-wide 🤔 O my GOD, my heart is broken RightNow 🤔🤔🤔

[@juniperisfound3671]

yeah! it must be hard having a deaf child but you should still try your best and atleast send them to a special school not a mainstream

[@tinathanhtran58]

A$

[@amarawhite1265]

As a nanny I've worked with so many parents like this. It's heartbreaking.

[@telusasong]

yes; but the nut has to crack from the inside; for the tree to grow.....not only in England

[@rosiefarner7524]

Me too, and is so sad they don’t get the right education for them and for their kids

[@oxiary]

i hate close minded parents with special kids. especially in Asia. hurts like heck. they deserve more.

[@europepersia5808]

I also had s few similar parents. They were so against the help, they wanted their son to go to the public school with the other kids and in his case the problem was the eyesight. He was losing his sight every day and I suggested to parents to take him to the other school for the visual impairment do he could learn Braille and get prepared better. They were so against it, said he would be better

[@willlllow]

I’m a child of a deaf adult (CODA) and it breaks my heart to know this is likely similar to how my dad grew up with hearing parents and no access to sign. my dad isn’t eligible for cochlear implants but he desperately wishes he was, he wants to fit into the hearing world he was raised in, i think things would have been different if he’d had even some inclusion in the Deaf community.

[@olakolade6656]

that end made me cry she’s alone🥺broke my heart

[@VRon00]

I want the second part. You know, the part where Libby goes to live with Jo, someone who understands her, someone who is genuinely looking for what suits the child, not society.

[@nicolethompson9085]

No, better would be the brother speaking up for Libby and convincing his mom and dad to accept Libby as she is and get her the supports she needs and learn to communicate with her.

[@nulle1968]

But life is not always a happy ever after

[@thomasfisher5742]

@Delaila Sills ......im big on ur idea lol

[@alycewich4472]

@@nulle1968 EXACTLY! And in real life this happens to the deaf community a lot.

[@alycewich4472]

@Delaila Sills Don't we all, but life isn't that way at times. This film was showing truth and sometimes the truth is painful.

[@drmoynihan]

I work as a Clinical Psychologist, but have found that it is not the children that are so difficult, but the parent. For this reason, I work only with adults who are able to make choices concerning their future and their relationships with others. Libby was an excellent example of the difficulties that caring professional educators have, including jealous parents. Thank you for sharing this excellent short film.

[@The_Beast_666]

AMEN

[@steffenrumpel2784]

The movie made it quite obvious that not just those with disabilities need to learn, but also those without. I can understand that it can get awfully difficult to get that point across if you have to deal with people (e.g. the parents) who are unwilling to "listen". Even though we humans can be incredibly ignorant, that is when people like you (i.e. the educators) should keep trying to find ways to get others to listen. So I wish the movie wouldn't have stopped at Joanne and Libby communicating with each other through the school's gates. It would have made the film's message more obvious if it would have ended with Joanne trying to convince the school's administration to let her continute to teach Libby and others the sign language. - Just a thought - Would it help you in your job if you'd use this film to try to convince the more difficult parents?

[@drmoynihan]

@@steffenrumpel2784 In the USA, when the parent says it is "done", you must stop or be in legal and professional jeapordy. I have heard this may not be the case in other countries. There are strengths and weaknesses to both systems. Of course, this is a drama that over dramatizes and overemphasizes certain points. Life really isn't so black and white. And the answer to your question is while a movie like this is engineered to "preach to the choir", making a parent more defensive is not the answer. The Tutor should have backed off and accommodated the parent/mother more with a combination. She would have gained more time with the child and therefore more progress. In real life, a sensitive Tutor like her will gain wisdom through her mistakes and by seeking a mentor (supervisor) in these situations. Like I intimated earlier, in some countries the Government will intercede (interfere). I have seen cases like this (even in the USA) where a teen presents the case to a social worker and they are emancipated. However, this kind of interference can be a dangerous slippery slope.

[@osvagt]

So you took the easy path? No judgement, thou...maybe I would do the same, idk...

[@darrinsiberia]

Reminds me of the dog whisperer. He doesn't fix the dogs he fixes the owners.

[@manjeetkahlon8617]

I've fallen in love with Libby. What an amazing actress...how well she has emoted it all and her expressions are as heart-tugging and heartwarming as the story.

[@miapdx503]

I see a lot of short films get accolades and awards and there's really no substance or purpose to them. An industry driven by ego. Then someone makes this film...it was absolutely touching and enlightening. It said so much in a small amount of time. I connected with the child and the teacher who formed a powerful bond with a child who was disconnected...the mum who was more concerned with her image and comfort zone...I wanted to see all of her life, we care about her. Then we're reminded that there are many children who live in her world, and we have the ability and resources to help them. This film served it's purpose, wonderfully and beautifully said. Kudos, props and thank you. 👍🏽🥰👍🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🏆🏆🏆🏆

[@kateblackmore4118]

The fact that her own mother can't be bothered to learn sign language is appaling!

[@gayled3059]

Totally!

[@darrynrousseauhollifield619]

about 70% of hearing parents of Deaf children don’t learn sign language. it’s tragic, but extremely common.

[@iriszhuz7]

yeah! im now learning asl just bc of this video

[@Alina-xu7nn]

totally! I'm pursuing the ASL field and if I ever had a child who was deaf I would learn sign language for the child it's so damaging and unfair of the parents not to :(

[@hoi5421]

Ikr and even her brother knows it!

[@wackyrice1]

I have always said that ASL should be learned by elementary teachers and used in conjunction with speech. Children will pick up the pattern, use it and continue using it with each other. Every year teachers learning it, using it, and at the end of 12 years, you could mainstream every deaf child. There would be no barriers in schools or the work world.

[@lukebowlby530]

Not all but 1 or 2 in each school.

[@hellosweetheart3350]

Great idea 💡

[@diruholic]

That's a wonderful idea!

[@hayleymarse2853]

Even if it was just used in elementary school it would be very helpful. Young children often learn better from visual cues so it could be super helpful

[@annarodriguez9868]

When I was a classroom aide I took a short ASL class just for fun and learned the alphabet and several words. Later I taught the 3rd grade children how to sign the alphabet. One of the children had a minor learning disability and he rarely passed the weekly spelling tests. He practiced ASL using his spelling list and his scores and his on other written assignments were greatly improved. The teacher was amazed and asked him how ASL helped him. He said his fingers remember better than his brain. After that the teacher encouraged all the kids to learn more ASL and teach it to others. 🖖

[@ishitadey726]

At the end of this short film, I can just sigh heavily and feel a bit of tears in my eyes... Literally, how pathetic are their conditions!

[@euniceahmet1756]

The sign teacher was fantastic. She is a MUST HAVE for a vulnerable or deaf child . I just completely commend the lady very much

[@jaz4089]

This broke my heart. Seeing how a mother can just neglect a child's needs like that is sick. I have deaf parents and knowing that they went through things like these angers and hurts me. I hope people realise and understand how hard it is for the deaf community. Be aware.

[@nickmattedwards]

My mother neglected my health and safety as a tiny child. Her negligence cost me one of my eyes aged 3. As I'm very short sighted in my one remaining eye participating in a world so orientated to the visual experience has been so intellectually exhausting and frustrating.

[@jaz4089]

@@nickmattedwards No child should have to be neglected of the bare minimum needed to take care of them. No child should feel ridiculed because of their differences either.

[@marymurrow8869]

@@mynameisgladiator1933 Except the brother, he was starting to learn sign language and noticed that she was signing "orange juice".

[@marietanuta2751]

@@nickmattedwards l

[@conkshell9445]

THIS ... is real child abuse... mother should be locked up ..

[@grazybrara]

I have a deaf friend, she is 30 years older than me, once i found out no one in her family actually made any effort to understand her so i started learning sign language, turns out she never had the chance to learn it. She has no job, no family support, she can't drive, can't read, she couldn't graduate, can't have a conversation without showing emojis, pictures or drawing. Now we are besties and we kinda have our own language, but i wish she could interact w others the same way :c

[@ff7573]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZLdZKKIbcl-kJI

[@helcat316]

That's amazing. X and you made a friend for life

[@alexsandrarokas7117]

You're very gutsy. Good for you.

[@pika_31]

Please never ever leave her alone..she maybe incomplete without you❤️lonely in the world but whole heartedly with uhh❤️

[@magnuspersson9630]

Wow, such a good friend you are. We need more of that kind of love

[@williamj.stilianessis1851]

As a classroom teacher/interventionist, this is marvelous. Wonderful production with a poignant message. Well done.

[@cshell64]

A parent's pride should be put aside for the well being of their child. A child's needs are most important. If my child were deaf I would learn sign language from the start, communication is extremely important. Never leave a child feeling alone & isolated.

[@susanball692]

My brother was diagnosed as hard of hearing/deaf in the late 60s. Back then, the doctor told my mom to focus on lip reading and speaking and so we, as a family, never learned sign language. It was the worst mistake to have made. My brother was isolated his whole life, just like the little girl in this film. It's sad to know attitudes to deafness haven't changed much in the last 50+ years. Thank you, Rachel Shenton and company, for making this film highlighting the difficulties the hard of hearing and deaf face in the world.

[@junbh2]

I think they have changed somewhat? Or maybe it's just that technologies have improved so fewer children suffer as badly from the emphasis on speech - at least if you have some technology that successfully improves your hearing then the emphasis on only speech isn't quite as extremely isolating (it can still cause problems... but at least not as extreme). Though IMO it should still usually be in addition to sign and not instead of it. It's always better to raise a kid bilingual anyway, and if there's any question at all about their hearing, make one of the languages a signed one.

[@thetaekwondoe3887]

It's like that scene in Mr. Holland's Opus where the doctor says "gestures" won't help Cole find his place in a hearing world and says "talk to him like he's normal".

[@stephaniegriffin6994]

@@thetaekwondoe3887 I love it- good example

[@stephaniegriffin6994]

my favorite response, with understanding all around. I couldn't have said it better. We all have struggles that buckle us to the ground. blaming others never helps. Amy's comments are wonderful, in response to those that might further victimize her. She understands her family's poor response and allows them, by brining it up, to grow.

[@alexsandrarokas7117]

They ought to know my attitude. I'd kick their ass. Lip reading is a myth; it doesn't exist. What helps a hearing impaired person is the ability to read the morphological facial and bodily reading.

[@brirandall2894]

My pop was a child brought up by both a mute mother and mute father and he was one of the most intelligent men I knew because communication was key in the role of both his folks and himself. They had normal happy lives. RIP Pops.

[@maureengeorge4785]

Beautiful ♥️

[@chrisjanej.8747]

What really broke my heart, was that the parents had no time for their own daughter. It was the lady who came to teach her who gave her love and time and attention. The mom then seemed jealous, and so decided to remove her child from this wonderful care

[@viewfromthehillswift6979]

I have seen too many children, deaf and hearing, that have had their pathways in life reduced by their parents. On a visit with my granddaughters, 11 and 13, I found them signing to each other (both hear); they will be well placed when they meet a deaf child or classmate.

[@earlewilson9390]

This movie is exactly the same as my experience. It is unfortunate for a deaf child cannot communicate without sign language. I am deaf, I know my hearing parents did try their best for me but they followed the doctor's suggestions. I disagreed with all their suggestions for me to take speech therapy. It helped a little but my education level was low. Because of a lack of learning without sign language. I used oral classes with no sign language from elementary to high school. When I was a high school senior, I failed twice test for college at Rochester Institute of Technology. I wanted to be filming studio and photography. I was upset and angry/blamed my parents. I decided to go to Gallaudet University for all deaf students in DC. They had a special pre-college before entering Gallaudet. All teachers used sign language that I learned quickly and improved my education levels very well. I was excited and made it to Gallaudet Unversity for three years then transferred to RIT (Rochester Inst. of Technology)/NTID (National Technology of the Deaf) in NY. It helped a lot with all sign language in classes. I graduated and got a job as a computer graphics artist in Columbus, Ohio. I told my mother about my experience in life should start using sign language in elementary. I would be a lot smarter and easy to enter college at the beginning after high school. To all hearing parents, I suggest your deaf child learn sign language, and also can sometimes with speech therapy. I would prefer the most important use of sign language most of the time. You the parents should learn sign language for deaf children. Your deaf children WILL match the same as hearing people. Trust me I know your deaf child will be VERY HAPPY and thanks/love to you in the future. I still love my parents but my life wasn't good. I had to fight in my own way and had hard work through the years. Please use sign language for a deaf child to communicate with you.

[@nayoungryu9349]

I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that

[@ankitasaxena5891]

Thanks for sharing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@hmniazpinnjor4585]

❤️❤️

[@GrumpetteJV]

Honestly though, I think it's time that sign language is taught in schools the same like math is. Every single person would benefit from it. As an 42 year old autistic adhd-er, I would love to have sign language. Plus you never know what happens in life, or who you'll meet. Just like subtitles and captions need to be standard, sign language should be standard. Hopefully in the future they will be. 🖤

[@albeal9213]

I am so sorry that you had to experiance this! My heart breaks knowing that the ones that was supposed to protect you "FAILED". I too have been abanded by family but not because of my hearing but because of my heritage! NO I will not go into details but never the less Earle THIS Stranger has got your back! avb

[@Naygoesmoo]

" I know what's best for her!" No. You just know what's more 'convenient' for you.

[@bee-pv8ph]

I think the fear of her child bonding with someone in a way she's never bonded with her made her irrationally reject the sign language and what is best for her kid, plus the affair. So many complex human emotions and irrational responses in this. So real.

[@SuperPattie]

It just said that when I was flicking seeing the messages and I read yours

[@SuperPattie]

Her mums hair looks like a Caron hair cut

[@flordemariacatalinalaures4275]

I quite agree with you, and moewover what I saw was that meny parents are very celous to the teacher or the persona who can teach better things to their children.. It happened to me-

[@jenica6537]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fH2ynnybecuhn9E

[@user-po8eg9ou7k]

Upon the initial viewing of the film it introduces Libby, a deaf four-year-old, and her social worker, Joanne. The plot revolves around Joanne's efforts to help Libby integrate into the hearing world, highlighting the challenges faced by deaf individuals. My initial reaction was one of empathy and curiosity about the journey of these characters. Given that it addresses the deaf community's challenges, further research into deaf education, sign language, and the experiences of deaf individuals could provide additional context and depth to the analysis. In the second viewing, I paid close attention to specific elements. The cinematography uses intimate close-ups to capture facial expressions, emphasizing the emotional depth of the characters. The sound design is deliberate, using silence and ambient noise to immerse the audience in Libby's silent world. The narrative structure is linear but strategically paced to build tension and emotional resonance. Cinematography: Close-ups on facial expressions, framing that emphasizes the characters' emotional states, and the use of visual elements to convey the story. Sound: The deliberate use of silence, ambient noise, and the careful incorporation of sign language as a form of communication. Narrative Structure: A linear narrative with a focused pace, building tension and emphasizing key moments. Symbolism: Libby's silence symbolizes the isolation and struggle of the deaf community, while her journey to learn sign language becomes a powerful symbol of hope and connection. The filmmakers skillfully employ cinematography, sound design, and a poignant narrative to shed light on the challenges faced by deaf individuals, using the protagonist Libby's journey as a powerful symbol of resilience and the importance of understanding." Body of Analysis: 1. Cinematography: The close-ups on facial expressions, particularly on Libby, create a strong emotional connection between the audience and the character. The visual storytelling amplifies the impact of the narrative. 2. Sound Design: The intentional use of silence and ambient noise effectively immerses the audience in Libby's world. The incorporation of sign language as a form of communication adds authenticity to the narrative. 3.Narrative Structure: The linear narrative is well-paced, allowing for a gradual buildup of tension and emotional resonance. Each scene contributes to the overall impact of the story. 4. Symbolism: Libby's silence serves as a powerful symbol, representing the isolation and struggles faced by the deaf community. Her journey to learn sign language becomes a symbol of hope and connection. Conclusion The film masterfully utilizes cinematography, sound design, and a compelling narrative to bring attention to the challenges of the deaf community. Through Libby's journey, the film delivers a poignant message about resilience, communication, and the importance of understanding." Formatting: Ensure the analysis follows a clear structure with an introduction, body paragraphs dedicated to specific elements, and a conclusion. Use consistent formatting and citation style if external sources are referenced. Proofreading: Review the analysis for clarity, coherence, and grammatical accuracy. Check that ideas flow logically and are well-supported by examples from the film. Ensure proper citation if external sources are used. This structured analysis provides a comprehensive examination of "The Silent Child," covering key elements and offering insights into the film's impact and storytelling techniques.

[@kath3832]

Sign language should be taught in all schools, from primary up through secondary school xx

[@tardismole]

Sign Language should be taught in schools and used every day as standard, regardless whether they have a deaf student or not. Alienating children has horific consequences and it's even worse if that continues into adulthood. Teaching one child at a time, is not enough to help deaf people feel or be included.

[@athulya4147]

What all are we supposed to learn? Sign language so that deaf and mute people feel included just helps one of the many marginalized sections of people out there. Learning about autism spectrum disorder might help you understand that your colleague really didn't mean to be rude/ insensitive/ arrogant and he really cannot learn to be more diplomatic/ nice to you. Learning about LGBTQ+ will help you treat them in a way they feel accepted and respected. Learning about gender inequality would enlighten you about your own privilege and enable you to be fairer to the women in your life. Learning about the environmental impact of our mindless purchases would enable us to be more responsible. There's so much more. I suppose learning all of this is well worth it and should replace all the useless trash taught in schools, since this is how we make a better world.

[@longislandconnections3342]

@@athulya4147 I think he was just talking about the basic form of communication for people otherwise in a completely silent world.

[@amartin9293]

Most states had or still have deaf schools, where all subjects are taught in sign. This is good until children are older and feel they can face hearing classes.

[@mochitaro1804]

@@athulya4147 ones who aren't deaf but wanna communicate have to learn it as well

[@XD2021]

Lol

[@TheGoldengirl72]

Bravo! My son is deaf. I’ve literally seen a mother not allow her beautiful daughter to wear her aids because of the way it looked. I as a mom couldn’t believe it. She preferred vanity over her child. This was an amazing film.

[@SamBorgman]

That's disgusting. Report people like that.

[@melusineshaw]

Don't judge parents. Don't judge others. You never know what the real deep reason of their behavior is.

[@Tankofan1]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHivo4eCfpZ3l7c

[@elizewyn]

@@melusineshaw there is literally no excuse for a parent who's not willing to make an effort to communicate with their own child. That's revolting.

[@melusineshaw]

@@elizewyn The question is Not being willing or Not being able. The answer to that question is no easy one.

[@LAL7887]

I'm heartbroken over this film... Holding on to the hope that while Libby's language and best friend were taken from her, she knows now that it's possible for people to understand her. She knows that she's not broken or meant to be alone. And one day she will find the people who will truly hear her.

[@brianyim22]

I knew this was going to be heartbreaking. All children deserve loving parents. Some more than others. Props to the filmmakers for shining light on this issue.

[@haljam8828]

reminds of Matilda (Roald Dahl), where she gets away from her parents and is raised by her loving and reliable teacher.

[@moumaiti4872]

No

[@haljam8828]

@@moumaiti4872 nice explanation to your answer.

[@hildegunnurdahl5130]

If only that was the ending for most of the neglected kids that basically becomes disabled instead of having a relatively easy fix that would allow them to live a normal life. .. if only their parents and caretakers could bother to take the relevant steps.

[@reesesreallife1141]

Omgosh u watch Matilda

[@haljam8828]

@@reesesreallife1141 yeah it was a good movie

[@minahilshahjehan1299]

I am a speech and language pathologist and believe me when i tell u that this vid reflects the rawest emotions. From the moment Libby signs “Orange” to the moment where Joe is signing her “I love you “ , I felt so touched. It’s so pure to feel love and care for a total stranger to the point you are thinking about how u can make their life easier ,all the time! Beautiful message and film 🥺❤️

[@missmarijose5238]

Can I ask, how did you become a SLP? I want to pursue that path but can barely find any options of specialization.

[@halcyonsikes7018]

I haven't seen anything so heartbreaking in quite a while... Very good movie, great actors, especially the young girl.

[@great-stuff-6688]

I believe that this short movie touched every viewer’s heart as long as the viewer finished watching it completely. Good job 👏 we need more films like this, because we are human .