A World of Boisterous Silence

Children’s eyes sparkle as they recite a poem about spring from their textbook using sign language. They do not use their voices. But as we watch the silent recitation, the fresh early-spring breeze caresses our cheeks and tiny Veronica Flowers bloom in profusion before our eyes. Welcome to Meisei Gakuen, a Tokyo school for the deaf with 57 students. It is breaking new educational ground: all classes are conducted in sign language. The children are taught to embrace their deafness and value their ability to see. As they grow up, this mindset shapes the way they think and the way they interact with other people. In time, they leave to find their way in a hearing world. But is the hearing world ready to accept them? This film reveals the children’s boisterous world of silence. There is no spoken language at the school. To enable viewers to experience the silent but vibrant environment, no narration was used. We also kept music to a minimum. Having noted that many films about disabled people are designed to be inspiring, we wanted to avoid telling that kind of story and believe that we could share a message with much wider relevance. The school teaches deaf children that they are of no less value than the hearing and that they just experience a different world.