Deaf

The school for the deaf at the Alabama Institute in the United States is one of the most renowned institutions of its kind. At the heart of its educational programme lies a theory of total communication: in its lessons, the school combines sign language with speech, lip-reading, hearing aids and the written word.

In 1984, Frederick Wiseman—the grand master of American documentary who passed away last year—travelled there with his cameraman John Davey and filmed four documentaries, including this unique and rarely screened DEAF. As in many of his other works, Wiseman captured long dialogue scenes, with communication this time taking place largely through sign language. Like a fly on the wall, we witness formative moments between pupils and teachers.

DEAF examines the training programme from various angles, including the psychological support provided to teachers. In many of the sequences, the question arises as to exactly how communication works. Where are the boundaries? In an extremely moving scene, a deaf boy speaks of his suicidal thoughts and his hatred towards his mother, which he would rather keep to himself than discuss with her — a key scene in Wiseman’s oeuvre.