The Importance of Authenticity in Deaf Cinema
Article by S.C. Peregrine cross-posted from www.fleetoffandoms.com
A disclaimer: I am not deaf or hard of hearing and do not belong to the Deaf community. My passion for storytelling however encompasses all stories. There are so many things that I take for granted with my ability to hear and to communicate effortlessly amongst my peers, so I can only imagine what struggles may come with trying to work in the filmmaking industry with a disability of any kind. It does occur to me that creating authentic stories in the Deaf community is important, and are best written and portrayed by actual Deaf filmmakers, content creators and actors. That makes sense to me. In a world filled with film and television made by and for hearing people, being able to see a character on screen portraying Deaf culture in a way that can feel authentic can be exciting I’m sure, but what happens when these characters or stories fail to represent this community accurately?
Deaf actor and filmmaker Michelle Mary Schaefer seeks to correct this long standing tradition of overlooking and misrepresenting Deaf culture in media such as film and tv, and even for the stage. My conversations with Michelle have opened my eyes and taught me many things. She happens to be one of the most extraordinary, persistent, capable, and open-hearted people I have ever had the pleasure to communicate with. Michelle’s Deafness is not something that she allows to limit her creativity, instead, it is a part of who she is and is the single driving force behind the stories she wishes to tell. This is why I find it so important that these stories get told, and are shared far and wide.
Most of my readers know that supporting independent films and those that make them is something I feel strongly about, but, even in the independent market there is a community of people who are trying their absolute best to create content and to tell stories as well. Stories that often get overshadowed or altogether ignored. Michelle has been proving the industry wrong for years. Her prize winning queer web series aptly named REAL, a “tiny film” web series was a Skyphire Film Festival winner; for the Grand Prize Amongst All Categories and Best Episodic Series, a Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase Official Selection, and a Deaf Rochester Film Festival 2020 Official Selection, among other accolades.
Directed by Maria Forsythe, REAL tells the story of “An exploration of Deafness, love and the lengths we go to find it” and was released in 2020. Nearly three years later, Michelle Mary Schaefer has gone on to create and write several other projects which she has high hopes to bring to life, including feature film Destiny and TV Series Always Natalie.
REAL has been picked up by Skyphire Entertainment to develop into a full series made for television from its original short form.
To me, passionate and creative people like Michelle Mary Schaefer are no less capable of creating or starring in award winning films and productions than literally anyone else on the planet. Storytelling is expansive and universal, its purpose is to bring to light that which is new, and different. Imagine living your life only being told the stories that mirror your own existence. I feel like this is very much a reality that a large part of the world is faced with, and does not represent the true meaning of “storytelling”. After all, the Deaf community has an entire culture and way of life that lives parallel to that of the hearing world. I think there are many people who are so used to being portrayed on a screen and being seen that if “force fed” anything different, that which does not ultimately display their own world view or what they see in the mirror, is where the disconnect happens. Racially diverse elves? Deaf superheroes? Female superheroes? I fail to see where the issue is with portraying real people in fictional roles. Such is the current argumentative climate, the non-fiction genre doesn’t nearly have this much of an uproar, but I’m getting away from the point here.
Why is authenticity important? Let me lean back into the superhero niche once more. “Originally depicted as a white, hearing male in the Marvel comics, Makkari is a woman of color in Marvel’s Eternals and is played by the actor Lauren Ridloff, who is deaf.” A first in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The character’s portrayal has sparked conversations both about onscreen representation of the deaf and hard of hearing community and about the need for greater accessibility in theaters.
The power of feeling seen can move mountains. Imagine that sense of empowerment and self-confidence she instilled in thousands just by being on a screen. My experience with feeling seen is different, which is true for all people, but I can still understand the validating impact with being represented on a large scale like that can have.
My own truth was told to me at the young age of 8 years old when I first witnessed Xena: Warrior Princess in all her gender-nonconforming brilliance. At 8, I understood that it was okay to possess the natural personality that I had, and to like the things that I liked. If she could do it, so could I. But then again I walked out into the real world with that emboldened sense of self without having the extra added weight of a disability. If still so powerful for me at that age, being of hearing and movement capability, resembling a healthy and otherwise able-bodied child, imagine what Lauren Ridloff’s Makkari did for young Deaf viewers everywhere.
Supporting the independent filmmakers and creators in your online atmosphere is important. Sharing their crowdfunding efforts is an essential part of turning their ideas into projects and getting them out there. Retweet, like, comment and share whenever and wherever possible. Broaden your mind and open your heart to consuming media that does not always mirror you, and expand your palate with content which you can possibly learn something from.
You can find me on Instagram @s.c.peregrine and over on Twitter @sarahcaitlin — please follow me on those platforms as well as here!
I am a traveling entertainment journalist and set/event photographer. You can visit my website www.fleetoffandoms.com for a complete collection of my published articles as well as event photography.
I photograph Conventions! Cosplayers! Film festivals! Premieres! Film shoots! You can contact me here via my Blinq business card for more info! Thank you~
