The divide between the hearing world and deaf world was explored through the use of film at the “Deaf Movie Festival” event, held May 19 in Conference Rooms A&B.

Sponsered by Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services, the event showcased two films highlighting the impact of hearing, or the lack thereof, among families who raised, or are currently raising, deaf children.

The films shown were “Sound & Fury,” a 2001 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary and “Sound & Fury: 6 Years Later.” The films highlight the Artinian family of Long Island, New York, and the debate about what to do for the two children, Heather and Peter. The family is divided, as the movie goes on, because they decide to have Peter implanted with the cochlear implant, but not Heather. Heather’s parents, Robert and Nita, are afraid she will be lost to the “hearing world” and the loss of her deaf identity.

“Sound & Fury” highlight the struggles among both families, and what they ultimately decide to do, or not do. Six years later, director Josh Aronson made a follow up to the first film, “Sound & Fury: 6 Years Later.”

Unlike the first film, this one only highlights what happened to Heather in the years following the first film. Her parents, adamant on not having her implanted, decided to finally give her the chance to be apart of both the hearing and deaf worlds.

Funded by the De Anza Associated Student Body, “Deaf Movie Festival” was one of two events scheduled to highlight the deaf/hearing loss topic in these last weeks of Spring quarter. The next event will be “Deaf at De Anza: A Day In My Shoes,” will be this Wednesday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in Conference Room A & B. This event will be a panel discussion that highlight the challenges deaf individuals went through while in college.

AUDIENCE – “Deaf Movie Festival” informs audience about a world and debate few know of, or have yet to hear about. (Mitchel Weinstock/LA VOZ WEEKLY)