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Factual: Disability

04/07/2016

BBC Four - Life and Deaf

Experiential film in BSL about the deaf world, with its unique humour and culture.

An immersive, experiential film in BSL about the deaf world, with its unique humour and culture. There is no score, no commentary and none of the conventions of normal film-making.

An immersive, experiential film about the deaf world, with its unique humour and culture - a world which most of us rarely encounter. The film is in BSL: British Sign Language. There is no score, no commentary, and none of the conventions of normal film-making. 
 
The film follows some of the key characters who frequent St John's Deaf Club in north London as they face life's twists and turns and challenges. 

The Costis are a big deaf family. Tina Costi and her football-mad husband Marios are expecting a baby. For generations in Marios's family, boys are always born deaf and girls are always born hearing. Will this new Costi baby break with tradition?

Like the Costis, Abigail also comes from a big deaf family. She has just turned 30 and is about to make one of the biggest decisions of her life. She is considering undergoing surgery to have a cochlear implant fitted to help her deteriorating hearing, and also to better connect with her hearing friends. Abigail wants to be part of both worlds. But it's a controversial decision for her family, who proudly trace their deaf heritage back eight generations. How will this affect her relationship with both her family and the wider deaf community?

At the heart of St John's Deaf Club is its football team. The rivalry between deaf football teams is intense. Marios's brother Memnos is captain of the team. He eats, sleeps and breathes football. Passionate to the point of obsession, can he inspire his team to win the English Deaf Cup for the second time in a row?

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