Gallaudet alumnus and actor Emilio Insolera, ’03, stars in Feel My Voice, a new Italian film that features authentic deaf roles. The film was released worldwide on Netflix on April 3. It is available to watch now, with English subtitles.
Feel My Voice is based on the French film La Famille Bélier, which also served as the inspiration for CODA. CODA memorably featured Gallaudet alums Troy Kotsur, E-’92, and Daniel Durant, E-’15, as well as honorary degree recipient Marlee Matlin, H-’87. In 2022, the film won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and a Best Supporting Actor nod for Kotsur.
Feel My Voice tells the story of a family with deaf parents and their two children: a deaf son and a hearing daughter, who is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). The daughter feels torn between her family and her love of singing. Insolera plays the father, Alessandro Musso.
“Feel My Voice brings its own interpretation of the story while staying rooted in the same emotional core,” Insolera says.
Finding inspiration at Gallaudet
Insolera arrived at Gallaudet in 1999 as a Fulbright Scholar under the Roberto Wirth Fund. The scholarship only paid for the first year of tuition, but Insolera didn’t want to leave. He decided to stay and complete his degree. He is believed to be the first international student from Italy to graduate from Gallaudet.
In the Italian Deaf community, “Gallaudet is seen as a prestigious and inspiring institution,” Insolera says. “One that many people would love to experience. It’s essentially like the Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters in X-Men, a place for mutants to grow and explore their superpowers.”
Insolera majored in Film and Sign Language Linguistics, foreshadowing his future career in the Italian film industry.
“Film is a powerful global medium to share and promote our language, culture, and history,” he says. “However, technical skills alone are not enough: it’s equally important to understand what stories to tell and how to tell them. That’s why I pursued a customized curriculum combining both film and sign language linguistics.”
Insolera found mentors and friends in faculty members Dr. Ben Bahan and Dr. H-Dirksen Bauman. He also immersed himself in the fully accessible, Deaf-centric campus that is only found at Gallaudet.
“Gallaudet offered a uniquely visual-centered environment, with resources, perspectives, and discussions that expanded my understanding not only locally but also on an international level,” says Insolera.
Success in Italy
Insolera has built a thriving career as an actor in a variety of films. In recent years, he worked with award-winning filmmakers such as Ridley Scott and Simon Kinberg. Luca Ribuoli, the director of Feel My Voice, requested that Insolera audition for the role of Alessandro. It was a natural fit.
“I connected with Alessandro’s determination,” Insolera says. “He has a clear objective and is driven to achieve it. That sense of focus and persistence is something I relate to.”
When Insolera joined the film’s cast, he worked closely with the sign language mediator to ensure that the sign language in the film accurately modeled Italian Sign Language (LIS).
“Italian Deaf culture has deep historical roots and, in some ways, predates the development of ASL,” says Insolera. “Linguistically, it can be quite complex, with a rich variety of synonyms and regional dialects that differ significantly from one area to another.”
“There were moments where I had to step slightly beyond my role as an actor to ensure that the portrayal did not misrepresent the Deaf community. This was sometimes challenging, as there were limitations and the narrative was already moving in a specific direction.”
The response to the film has been enthusiastic.
“Many viewers said they cried both from laughter and from the powerful ending,” Insolera says. “It was also widely recognized for its authenticity, as the cast is made up of Deaf actors, many of whom come from Deaf families.
“This response helped Feel My Voice reach even greater heights: it is now the second most-watched film in the world on Netflix, number one in 21 countries, and in the Top 10 in 43 countries. It’s truly such wonderful news and an honor for me and the team. I’m really happy about it, and proud of everyone who contributed and did such a great job.”
Family values
Family wasn’t just a character choice for Insolera on Feel My Voice. It showed up every day on set. His real-life spouse, Carolina Insolera, played his wife in the movie, Caterina. Being on set amongst deaf peers called back to his days at Gallaudet.
“My favorite memories from Gallaudet are rooted in the sense of community–the connections and brotherhood in heart and spirit. We were a big family with a wonderful sense of trust. Beyond the fun, we were like a group of intellectual changemakers–constantly challenging ideologies, questioning perspectives, and trying to shape the world around us.
“Gallaudet serves as a global hub, bringing together a diverse range of Deaf individuals and allies, including CODAs and hearing signers. It fosters continuous exchange of knowledge, perspectives, and ideas, contributing to the ongoing evolution of the community.
“It prepared me to represent the Deaf community on a larger scale. This requires not only lived experience, but also academic, business, and political awareness–skills that Gallaudet helped me develop.”
Ready to show the world what you’ve got? Check out Gallaudet’s Art and Media Design and Linguistics programs.
Feel My Voice is available now on Netflix.
