Are “disabled” people in fact gifted? Or just differently abled? With capabilities unknown, or perhaps ignored by the majority of us? Eva Libertad’s feature-length adaptation of her 2023 eponymous short film asks such questions. Working closely together with her hearing-impaired sister and lead Miriam Garlo, the Spanish scribe and helmer creates an intimate portrait of family relations. This tender drama improves awareness of deafness, while also challenging common misconceptions of disability.
Conflict overshadows sunny rural Spain even before the arrival of the baby. Deaf ceramist Angela (Garlo) and her fully abled partner Hector (Alvaro Cervantes) gather with friends and family to in order celebrate the impending family addition. Ángela’s parents become the voice of subtle – at times not-so-subtle – prejudice and preachiness. They hope for a “healthy” child (meaning not deaf). Since everything points to Angela’s condition being congenital (present at birth) and genetic, the chances are 50/50. They imply that their own daughter is to blame should the child have a hearing impairment.
Héctor tries as hard as he can to support his partner. The intense birth scene suggests that they have an uphill struggle ahead. Midwives overwhelm a very vulnerable Angela with conflicting advice. She can only lip read one person at a time. The nurses standing on her side and at her back simply forget she’s unable to hear them. Her partner does his best in order to translate the developments, but as he moves away for a moment, Ángela feels lost. The director exacts judgment neither on the husband nor on the midwives. Everybody is keen to help, it seems. Angela is never portrayed as helpless and uncontrolled. Libertad’s empathetic gaze reveals the many communication barriers that deaf people have to overcome, in a society that’s designed for hearing people.
The young parents constantly wonder if little Ona will be deaf. Everyone diligently assures them that it wouldn’t matter. But of course, it does. Ona’s parents are aware of the restraints, resentment, and possibly even ridicule a hearing-impaired child might experience. They don’t want their daughter to suffer discrimination. They want Ona to be able to recognise a pop sing, something Angela is unable to do. The doctor says the medical tests are inconclusive. The uncertainty makes the parents extremely anxious.
Sound and camerawork align in creative ways in order to convey the experience of deafness. Dialogue mutes as people turn their faces. Sounds are distorted in order to emulate the screeching of hearing devices. Angela’s seemingly ideal environment is bursting with prejudice and patronising. This is the world of the hearing, says Hector once during a heated argument. His attitude barely laudable, however his observation is accurate. If the child can hear, she will fit in in ways her mother cannot. Angela is painfully aware of this. But she also wants Ona to share her world and to communicate with her in her own language: sign language.
Garlo showcases these complex and contradictory feelings with naturalistic authenticity. The director’s real-life connection to her lead shines in every scene. The emotions feel truly rooted in her personal experience. Deaf explores the complex relationship to sensory impairment and the abled relatives. While the focus is on the family conflict, the preparedness of society is also on the spotlight. This is an unpretentious story about small emotional shifts, blossoming compassion, and new ways of listening.
Deaf showed in the Official Competition of Tiff Romania 2025, when this piece was originally written. Also showing at Karlovy Vary and San Sebastian. In cinemas on Friday, September 12th.
