Deaf Jam

Director:  Judy Lieff
USA 70’, 2012, color
English with Turkish subtitles

In Deaf Jam, Aneta Brodski seizes the day. She is a deaf teen introduced to American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry, who then boldly enters the spoken word slam scene. In a wondrous twist, Aneta, an Israeli immigrant living in the Queens section of New York City, eventually meets Tahani, a hearing Palestinian slam poet. The two women embark on a collaboration/performance duet - creating a new form of slam poetry that speaks to both the hearing and the Deaf.

“Poetry, friendship and respect transcend politics...Delightful and endearing, utilizing upbeat music and clever graphics, Deaf Jam immerses us in the richness and complexity of deaf culture and gives us a unique perspective into a world so vibrant, so diverse, it may forever change the way we see the non-hearing.”Barbara Pokras, A.C.E. - Woodstock Film Festival.

After the screening of Deaf Jam on Wednesday 5 March, there will be a talk with director Judy Lieff. Lieff is a filmmaker and educator with a background in dance and experimental film. Her first feature documentary is Deaf Jam. The talk is free of admissions, and in English.