About "Through Deaf Eyes" Documentary

Note: DVDs are no longer sold.

is a two-hour HDTV documentary exploring nearly 200 years of Deaf life in America. The film presents the shared experiences of American history—family life, education, work, and community connections—from the perspective of deaf citizens.

is a production of WETA Washington, D.C. & Florentine Films /Hott Productions, Inc. in association with Gallaudet University.

Interviews include community leaders, historians, and deaf Americans with diverse views on language use, technology and identity.

Bringing a Deaf cinematic lens to the film are six artistic works by Deaf media artists and filmmakers. Poignant, sometimes humorous, these films draw on the media artists’ own lives and are woven throughout the documentary.

But the core of the film remains the larger story of Deaf life in America—a story of conflicts, prejudice and affirmation that reaches the heart of what it means to be human.

takes a straight-forward look at life for people who are part of the cultural-linguistic group who use American Sign Language and often define themselves as “Deaf” with a capital, and cultural, “D” and deaf people who, for a variety of reasons, do not identify with the Deaf cultural community.

The history often shows that intersections between deaf and Deaf people are many and that oppression and discrimination are common experiences.

Many thanks to the Gallaudet University Press for making Through Deaf Eyes available online.

For more information about the documentary, visit PBS.