Reflections Through a DeafLens

Washington, DC. (November 24, 2008) Move over, Oscars, the WORLDEAF Cinema Awards are here.

Deaf cinema has made a profound impact on the lives of people around the world.  In recognition of excellence in deaf filmmaking, Gallaudet University will hold its first WORLDEAF Cinema Festival, November 4-7, 2009, in Washington, DC.  The four-day festival includes professional and student film competitions, with cash awards and a Hollywood-style awards show.  Other events will celebrate past and present accomplishments as well as promote interaction among industry representatives, filmmakers, and audience participants.

"The WORLDEAF Cinema Festival provides a way to celebrate the men and women, both deaf and hearing, who have captured in film the essence of the deaf experience, and I am thrilled to be a part of it," states Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin, the festival's honorary chair. Ms. Matlin will also receive the first WORLDEAF Cinema Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award.

The festival will spotlight the international dimension of deaf cinema and the diversity of the world's deaf and hard of hearing communities.  The festival will also promote interaction between industry representatives and the festival registrants through keynote speakers, panel discussions, film screenings and community forums.  Dr. Robert Davila, President of Gallaudet University, states, "Gallaudet University is honored to serve as host to the WORLDEAF Cinema Festival and to share in the excitement and acclaim it will bring to this medium.  This festival will highlight the depth and breadth of the achievements that have been made in the industry, and the profound impact they have made on the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people throughout the world."

The four-day event will kick off on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, with a keynote speech by internationally renowned scholar Dr. Carol Padden, associate dean, University of California, San Diego.  During the following days, Thursday through Saturday, festival attendees can view classic and new productions in deaf cinema, browse industry-related exhibits, and learn about vlogging.  On Saturday, November 7, the festival will close with a red carpet, star-studded WORLDEAF Cinema Awards ceremony.  This glittering event will pay homage to cinematic innovators, past and present, with WORLDEAF Awards for Excellence, as well as outstanding achievement.

Conference organizers are soliciting new work from both professional and student filmmakers (entries must have been created after 2005).  Juried cash awards will be presented for outstanding feature, documentary, and short films. In keeping with the ground-breaking nature of the WORLDEAF Cinema Festival, submissions are also invited from creators of vlogs.

"We are excited to be able to stimulate new work by offering substantial cash awards," says Dr. Jane Norman, festival producer and director, and professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Gallaudet University. "The festival will also promote opportunities in deaf cinema because registrants will be able to network and pursue distribution opportunities in the mainstream film industry."

Projection launch date of the WORLDEAF Cinema Festival website: December 20, 2008

10/24/08