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Hear and Now
The Cochlear Implant in Later Years
| Length: | 85 min |
| Released: | 2008 |
| Ages: |
College Adult |
After 65 years of silence, Paul and Sally Taylor decide to undergo cochlear implant surgery and explore a totally unfamiliar world -- the realm of sound. In this deeply personal memoir, the filmmaker documents her deaf parents' complex decision to undergo this risky and controversial medical procedure,( the only one that can actually restore this sense). This is a magical and deeply moving story of two people who embark on an extraordinary journey from silence to sound. The question is, how will they react to this new hearing world? And what may they gain, or lose, forever?
That the deaf suffer from a species of loneliness unknown to the rest of us is amply demonstrated in the powerful emotions that spill forth once these extraordinarily lovable and charming people begin to experience the world of sound for the first time. It is an experience that also causes them to relive the trauma of having, in some ways, lived apart from the mass of humanity their entire lives. In the engrossing historical footage from training films created by the Central Institute for the Deaf, we see the school where Paul and Sally met as children, in which teachers instruct students in "The Oral Method" of learning how to speak and pronounce English. Together, they managed to produce three hearing children and raise a family without apparent strain. Did they really need the operation? With the possibility of hearing within their grasp, they are simply too curious to pass up the opportunity.
With open captions.
That the deaf suffer from a species of loneliness unknown to the rest of us is amply demonstrated in the powerful emotions that spill forth once these extraordinarily lovable and charming people begin to experience the world of sound for the first time. It is an experience that also causes them to relive the trauma of having, in some ways, lived apart from the mass of humanity their entire lives. In the engrossing historical footage from training films created by the Central Institute for the Deaf, we see the school where Paul and Sally met as children, in which teachers instruct students in "The Oral Method" of learning how to speak and pronounce English. Together, they managed to produce three hearing children and raise a family without apparent strain. Did they really need the operation? With the possibility of hearing within their grasp, they are simply too curious to pass up the opportunity.
With open captions.
"Exhilarating and often heart-wrenching."
- Robin Abcarian, L.A. Times
"A startlingly intimate look at living with deafness."
- Christopher Kelly, Ft. Worth Star Telegram
".At times very emotional and overwhelming, we see them come to grips with their new reality and what it means to them and those they care about. It is an insightful look at how the cochlear implant affects older deaf people and their families. Highly recommended."--Educational Media Reviews Online
- Robin Abcarian, L.A. Times
"A startlingly intimate look at living with deafness."
- Christopher Kelly, Ft. Worth Star Telegram
".At times very emotional and overwhelming, we see them come to grips with their new reality and what it means to them and those they care about. It is an insightful look at how the cochlear implant affects older deaf people and their families. Highly recommended."--Educational Media Reviews Online
Sundance Film Festival 2007
Winner, Audience Award, Documentary
Heartland Film Festival 2007
Winner, Crystal Heart Award,
Best Documentary and Audience Awards
Middle East International Film Festival 2007
Winner, Best Documentary
Hot Docs, 2007
Winner, Audience Award, Documentary
Heartland Film Festival 2007
Winner, Crystal Heart Award,
Best Documentary and Audience Awards
Middle East International Film Festival 2007
Winner, Best Documentary
Hot Docs, 2007
