Art 21: Christine Sun Kim

Beyond Silence

December 1996 •German

Beyond Silence is about a family and a young girl’s coming of age story. This German film looks into the lives of the deaf and at a story about the love for music. A girl who has always had to translate speech into sign language for her deaf parents yet when her love for playing music grows strong she must decide to continue doing something she cannot share with her parents.

Children of a Lesser God

September 1986 •English

Starting his new job as an instructor at a New England school for the deaf, James Leeds meets Sarah Norman, a young deaf woman who works at the school as a member of the custodial staff. In spite of Sarah's withdrawn emotional state, a romance slowly develops between the pair.

The Wild Child

February 1970 •French

In 1798, a feral boy is discovered outside the town of Aveyron, France. Diagnosed as mentally impaired, he is relegated to an asylum. A young doctor named Jean Itard becomes convinced that the boy has normal mental capacity, but that his development was hindered by lack of contact with society. He brings the boy home and begins an arduous attempt at education over several years.

Mr. Holland's Opus

December 1995 •English

In 1965, passionate musician Glenn Holland takes a day job as a high school music teacher, convinced it's just a small obstacle on the road to his true calling: writing a historic opus. As the decades roll by with the composition unwritten but generations of students inspired through his teaching, Holland must redefine his life's purpose.

Dawn of the Deaf

July 2016 •English

On the eve of a catastrophic event which will wipe out the hearing population, we follow four deaf characters as they go about their daily lives.

I'm With You

November 2023 •English

A mute nurse cares deeply for the dying woman she lives with, but after a miscommunication with her client, she's forced to decide if she should break the one forbidden rule of the job - going outside.

The Legend of the Mountain Man

November 2008 •English

The Legend of the Mountain Man is a family-friendly story that will be enjoyed by viewers of all ages in American Sign Language. The Legend of the Mountain Man, set in picturesque Montana, features a typical, dysfunctional family of five. The father, who has been at odds with his parents for many years, decides to send his three children to his parents' ranch for the summer. The children unexpectedly encounter a creature, one that has never been seen nor recorded in history books. Viewers accompany the children on a heartwarming journey as they navigate the family's past and try to reconcile some of the estranged family members.

The Miracle Worker

May 1962 •English

The true story of the frightening, lonely world of silence and darkness of 7-year-old Helen Keller who, since infancy, has never seen the sky, heard her mother's voice or expressed her innermost feelings. Then Annie Sullivan, a 20-year-old teacher from Boston, arrives. Having just recently regained her own sight, the no-nonsense Annie reaches out to Helen through the power of touch, the only tool they have in common, and leads her bold pupil on a miraculous journey from fear and isolation to happiness and light.

Vánoční království

December 2015 •Czech

A Song From Beyond

March 2022 •English

As the only surviving member of her family, deaf guitarist Kaya is sent deep into the forest to hide and learn the mysterious melody passed down through generations. In order to survive the mercenaries assigned to kill her, she must learn to play the tune to awaken a mythological power from another realm.

Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to People

June 2016 •English

Documentary telling the extraordinary story of Koko, the only 'talking' gorilla in the world, and her lifelong relationship with Penny Patterson. Project Koko started as a PhD project to teach sign language to a baby gorilla, but as Koko began to communicate with Penny, an intense bond formed between them. Penny has now been with Koko for over 40 years and claims Koko can reveal fresh insights into the workings of an animal's mind. Koko's unique life with Penny has been filmed every step of the way. Over 2,000 hours of footage chart the most dramatic moments - Penny's battle to keep Koko from being taken back to the zoo in which she was born, Penny's clash with academic critics who doubted her claims and the image of Koko mourning the death of her kitten.

The Piano

May 1993 •English

A mute Scottish woman arrives in colonial New Zealand for an arranged marriage. Her husband refuses to move her beloved piano, giving it to neighbor George Baines, who agrees to return the piano in exchange for lessons. As desire swirls around the duo, the wilderness consumes the European enclave.

Requiem for a Dream

October 2000 •English

The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island residents are shattered when their addictions run deep.

A Quiet Place

April 2018 •English

A family is forced to live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.

CODA

August 2021 •English

As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents.

Jesus: A Deaf Missions Film

April 2024 •

God's story is unstoppable when it is in the heart language of a people group. Deaf Missions' Jesus Film uses native signers to bring the story of Jesus to life from a Deaf perspective for a Deaf audience.

Imaginings

May 2023 •English

Six deaf performers share struggles and dreams of a new Deaf generation. These poetic self-portraits in sign language show empowerment and confidence, and the vulnerabilities that come with being different.

Say Nothin’ But A Word

Invalid date •English

Set in 1986, this riveting drama centers on Jeremih, a Deaf black painter who must navigate a tense racially charged confrontation with police on the very night his art is being celebrated. Filmmaker Chantay Taylor’s storytelling aims to rewrite the narrative of how black men are seen in history (and on-screen) and illustrate that there is more than what meets the eye when it comes to a diverse community and their art.

Liberty

April 2024 •English

Deaf British actor/performer David Ellington performs his powerful poem “Liberty” that draws on visual vernacular, sign mime and BSL to explore topics of equality, freedom, division and unity. Ellington’s commanding presence takes center stage, bringing life to his compelling original work.

Renegades: Kitty O’neil

April 2024 •English

Kitty O’Neil (1946-2018) was a racecar driver, stunt legend, and daredevil. Known as “the fastest woman in the world,” O’Neil broke the land speed record in 1976. The first woman to join with Stunts Unlimited, the leading stunt agency in Hollywood, O’Neil was also a stunt double for the iconic stars of both The Bionic Woman (Lindsay Wagner) and Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter) on television. And she also happened to be Deaf.