d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Cert

Age group7–11

Duration101 mins

The Good Dinosaur(2015)

Prehistoric adventure about a lost young dinosaur who must have the courage to face his fears and find his way home.

One of Pixar animation studio’s lesser-known films and containing very little dialogue, The Good Dinosaur is a colourful, audience-friendly tale of a blossoming friendship between a young boy and a dinosaur who band together through a shared goal. Despite not being able to communicate through speech, they nevertheless find a common ground of understanding throughout the film.

Cert

Age group11–16

Duration102 mins

The Miracle Worker(1962)

Adaptation of William Gibson's inspirational play about Helen Keller, who became blind, deaf and mute at 18 months old, and was taught sign language.

Helen Keller is an important figure in history, an icon for blind and deaf people as well as sign language users around the world. This film however, nominated for five Academy Awards® in 1962, shows the personal moments that also made Helen a smart, funny human being too. Her story and the aftershocks of her abilities are put into focus in this heart-warming drama.

Cert

Age group7–14

Duration115 mins

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial(1982)

This heart-warming family favourite about an alien stranded all alone on earth contains some of the most magical scenes in movie history.

Often seen as a sci-fi adventure about kindness and friendship, there are other layers to this extraordinary classic. Elliot and E.T.’s relationship is hindered as they are unable to communicate through speech so they turn to other methods in order to support each other’s goals. A wonderful starting point to teach students about the importance of non-verbal communication.

Cert

Age groupAll ages

Duration50 mins

The Kid(1921)

Moving comedy as Chaplin's Tramp takes an abandoned orphan under his wing, as they grow together and undertake a series of scams.

Working in an era where films had no sound at all, the great comedian Charlie Chaplin got his emotions across in a different way to audiences during cinema’s early years. In this moving (but hilarious) tale of hope and resilience, his expressive features tell a story without the use of the spoken word, a skill that still resonates with young audiences even 100 years later.

Cert

Age groupAll ages

Duration66 mins

Steamboat Bill, Jr.(1928)

Silent comedy starring Buster Keaton as the son of a steamboat captain who tries to teach him his trade, without much luck...

Buster Keaton was one of the biggest film stars of the silent era. Known for his stunt work, he told stories in ways that would be spectacular in modern times – this film contains the iconic sequence of an entire house falling down and narrowly missing Keaton, a moment which thrills even today. Keaton’s unique and expressive face is sure to be a hit for audiences of any age.

CertUnclassified

Age group7–14

Duration10 mins

R.I.S.E Pathfinder(2018)

A robot astronaut is tasked by his human inventors to measure the distance from Earth to the end of the universe.

Stop-motion animation is often told without any dialogue because there is so much a filmmaker can do using this style. Expressions, non-verbal noises, body language – all of these things can be shaped to the tiniest detail in order to tell a story. In this wonderful science fiction short, communication and empathy take centre stage.