A Reflective Writing on the movie “In the Land of the Deaf”
In the Land of the Deaf directed by Nicolas Philibert depicts the education of the Deaf in France in its rawest form. Philibert displays an array of clips that demonstrate the heart wrenching and distressing nature of the education of the Deaf. Although this film is set in France in 1990’s, the various modes of oral education and the prevalent themes of isolation, lack of accessibility and audism are still a universal experience for an appalling number of Deaf people worldwide. Therefore, Nicholas Philibert’s goal for this documentary was “to let those people about whom we know nothing speak for themselves” (Philibert, 1991). The many individuals featured in this film share their various stories and experiences with deaf-hood. Philibert showcases a diverse assortment of culture, age and religion, but this does not diminish from the overall theme of oppression and audism that these individuals have faced throughout the many stages of their lives. The Deaf adolescence in this film are forced to participate in the “Oralist method” of education which demands the focus to be on speaking and lip reading. Prior to watching this film, I was unaware of the severity of the negative feedback and public humiliation the young children are forced to endure while attending their place of education. The alarming nature of these teacher- student interactions has left me curious as to the differences or similarities of Deaf education in present day Canada and France in the 1990’s. The oralist method of education strongly discourages the use of any form of signed language in the class room or at home. This lack of signed language leaves many of the young children without any language at all, causing a broad sense of isolation that is not only evident in the classroom but also their home lives. Throughout this film, the liveliest interactions occur between Deaf person to Deaf person a few examples of this are; in the lunch room of the elementary school, the young deaf couples wedding reception and the group of elderly Deaf Mitchell 3 of 6 people’s poker game. This creates a prominent juxtaposition when compared to the segregation displayed between the Deaf individuals and their hearing family members or teachers. The hearing people in this film (with few exceptions) are forcing the Deaf community to struggle with an impossible language barrier instead of attempting to bridge the gap using alternative methods of communication or sign language. This is not only something I have noticed in this film but also something I have witnessed in my own life. I have many Deaf friends, and only one person has family members who have learned sign language to communicate with them. I must constantly remind myself that it is not my place to judge others on how they parent their child, but this never ceases to appall me, simply because American Sign Language in the first and only language that many of my friends use. I cannot comprehend how difficult it may be to create parent-child relationship without communication, which based of my observation is the main source of my friend's resentment or even avoidance of their parents. With my personal accounts in consideration I cannot help but to wonder what the relationship between the children in this film and their parents is like nearly thirty years after production. Society does not treat Deaf peoples as equals. They are forced to learn languages unnatural to them, considered handicapped and have had to fight for their rights for centuries. These labels and assumptions that hearing people have associated with the Deaf community have caused an incredible number of negative repercussions. It has created a world where the Deaf struggle to obtain jobs and when they do, they are less glamorous then their peers. In this film there is an example of this with two young women and a young man who are shown working in a dingy factory with a supervisor who refuses to adequately communicate with them. The hearing world has even been known to lock up the Deaf in asylums as described in a personal account by a Deaf woman in this movie. Mitchell 4 of 6 This documentary advertises no shortage of morally questionable or dismaying content, but in between the tears there are moments of happiness and joy. These moments occur during a break from the oppression when the protagonists are surrounded by other Deaf people who appreciate their Deaf identity, this time has also been referred to as “Deaf Fix” (N. Horton, 2018). Viewers are able to witness the birth of a Deaf couples first baby and the laughter of the elderly as they play card games. These are only a few examples of the compassion and warmth which are depicted in the positive moments of this film. The bond formed between the Deaf community is prevalent during the departures, a strong example of this is when a group of teenagers are filmed crying in the airport at the end of their vacation together. This same bond is demonstrated at the reunions, exhibited at the young Deaf couples wedding when a table full of people using sign language are happily catching up. In addition to “Deaf Fix” there is an abundance of Deaf Culture throughout this film. consoling one another, looking to each other for help, preferring to be around other Deaf people and refusing to accommodate those who will not accommodate them are just a few of the many examples of Deaf cultural norms. Although there are many examples of Deaf culture present, one important aspect of Deaf culture that is missing is representation of Deaf role models for the children to look up to, this is an important aspect of Deaf culture that strongly impacts the children's sense of cultural identity. I have personally witnessed many aspects of Deaf culture, but unfortunately also the lack of Deaf role models for the younger generation of Deaf youth. I have had many conversations about the identity crises that people I know, due to having nobody to look up too, may it be because they grew up in a small town and there was no Deaf community around or that they were hidden away from Deaf culture due to their parent’s choices and beliefs. Now that my friends are older and have found themselves and their community, I Mitchell 5 of 6 have the pleasure of witnessing their “Deaf Fix”, the laughing and teasing at the lunch table, the joy at Deaf events and the never-ending supply of role models. I believe that In the Land of the Deaf will affect my future as an ally by adding clarity to the image of oppression I have developed in my brain. In the brief time I have been surrounded by the deaf community I have recognized many small and a few large acts of audism, however I have never had the ability to look at situations that occur globally or in the classroom. It is important to know what oppression of the Deaf looks like in different countries and how it relates or differs from your own place of residence, this will help you not only be an ally to your local Deaf community but also internationally. Globally or locally, children are the future of this world, one day they will be the doctors, lawyers and world leaders. They are young, impressionable and vulnerable and normally society and even more specifically loved ones will do almost anything to protect them from harm. This film really shows that for the most part that is not the case when it comes to Deaf children. These children are publicly ridiculed, punished, forced to grow up without language, talked down to and manhandled. This realization is astonishing and hits very close to my heart because my lifelong dream has been to work with children. I believe it is necessary to make realizations like this one and I'm sure it is going to be the first of many in my lifelong journey to becoming an ally.
