SO’s Impact in New Delhi
July 11, 2009Tonight I was surprised to know that in volume 2 [2009] issue of Deafway Magazine in India, SO was featured. However, the editor’s note that SO is a “must see” despite its ‘documentary tag’ made me ask, “Why can’t a docu be a “must see” despite its being a ‘documentary’ in genre? What did the editor mean by that? That only narrative films are “must-see” creations? I wondered!
Anyhow, I feel happy that inspite of the fact that SO features the plight of our Deaf Filipinos and presents Deaf Filipino culture, the effect on the Deaf sector in India as reflected on what’s written on this online magazine affirm the universality of film language as SO “touched a chord deep within” the hearts of Deaf who are not Filipinos. It also made the effort and the time that I have put in the making of SO [one-and-a-half-years] doubly worthwhile and quite fulfilling for successfully reaching out to an audience I never thought could ride equally with the sentiments of our Deaf brothers.
When I was informed by Mr. Satish Kapoor, Festival Director, of the positive reactions by the Deaf group that will facilitate its premiere in New Delhi the first time SO was previewed [before the start of the fest in Feb 09] I thought then that the reaction must have been because Deaf in India have the same experiences as most of Deaf Filipinos—the feeling of rejection, discrimination, probably at times humiliations from the hearing world. Although I got good feedbacks after the premiere from Mr. Kapoor again and from Rack Corpus, President of the Philippine Federation of the Deaf who relayed to me the positive feedbacks from her Indian Deaf network in India, it was only now when I read about SO in print on Deafway, a magazine for the Deaf, that I concretely know its impact on them.
In SO, showing Deaf Filipinos’ sentiments in the film and that “Deaf can” as a premise help in making the hearing world know their abilities, understand their situation, recognize their Being as equals to anyone of us. I hope more from the hearing society would see SO here in the Philippines as it reels around this July, NDPR Week, in Samar and Makati City.
To proceed anyway, on the cover of Deafway Mag, it reads somewhere on the page:
“SILENT ODYSSEY” TAKES “WE CARE FILM FESTIVAL” BY STORM
Director Mirana Medina from the Philippines Takes Center Stage with a Poignant Film
On Page 4, the large text heading reads:
DID IT SPEAK TO YOUR HEART?
Followed by the following subtexts:
The SILENT ODYSSEY had a tremendous impact here in New Delhi.
It touched a chord deep within...
I realised we are all the same inside!
Still on Page 4, part of the Editorial [A Word from Our Editor] states:
…Our lead story is the amazing documentary by Ms Mirana Medina of the Philippines called the “Silent Odyssey” some amazing dance sequences and poignant true-life stories make this film a ‘must see’ despite its ‘documentary’ tag. Tying up with that is the issue of Black ASL. No matter what color or race we are, we are all one in Sign, we are all one in Sign. Cheerio!
Finally! Page 12 was devoted to SO’s synopsis.
Pls click to read:
To watch SO trailer, click below:
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