Everyone experiences the world in different ways; however, sometimes physical differences contribute to the development of a different culture, as is the case with deaf artists. Hilari Scarl’s film See what I’m Saying allows the world to glimpse what such a culture is like. Making use of different techniques, the director immerses the viewer in a profound analysis of this culture, including the emulation of what this population actually hears. The waking of consciousness that results of this is important and beneficial, as it allows the viewer to empathize with the people that have this condition. Finally, while many could see this as a completely negative disease, the movie allows spectators to go beyond this reading and observe the positive aspects that this difference can make on a person.
It is important to watch this movie because it gives you a glimpse into the rough yet interesting world of deaf artists; its benefits rely on the ability to make you experience the world as a person that is hearing-impaired. Even though these people have a harder time communicating than the rest, they may also develop the social skills necessary to entertain and move a crowd. In this film one can empathize with the artists and better understand what they are going through. Communicational impediments can even make emotional expression difficult: as one can observe with Robert, whose friend died and he was unable to express what he was feeling, social interaction is made harder by this condition. Nevertheless, it is interesting because it allows people to understand what these people are going through, and that it is a different process than others. The deaf usually even develop hypersensitivity elsewhere, and their performances tend to be more expressive as they count with one less sense than most other people.
As one can see, even though this condition limits the people that have it, one can see it as only setting the boundaries in a different way. The documentary shows that deaf people are not less than others; they just have different skills and limitations. While many people could not imagine their lives without hearing, most would be more than grateful to be blessed with the visual abilities that many deaf people have. Therefore, one learns not only to tolerate differences with others, but to hold them in high regard and respect them, as they are not located under others, but beside them in a different way.
In conclusion, Scarl’s See what I’m Saying is an incredible film about the deaf artistic community. By the utilization of different means, the documentary shows the manner in which this population lives its life. Through this, the viewer may empathize with this difference, and may learn to accept and even value the differences that it entails. While many may think that this a condition that influences a person negatively in all spectrums, if one takes a deeper look, one realizes that deafness is another way of life that has its different benefits and difficulties. It is incredible how most of the time one does not appreciate what he or she has.
