Please browse our extensive archive of MDFF posters dating back to 2003.

Poster Archive from 2003-2024

Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2024. A blue poster with yellow and white text. The logo for the 2024 festival is in the upper right corner; two hands knitting a quilt and at the bottom of the quilt is the outline of Maine with a heart placed over Lewiston.
Maine Deaf Film Festival 20th anniversary! April 12th, 5 to 8 PM, and April 13th, 10 AM to 7:30 PM. At the MECDHH/GBSD Gym, 1 Mackworth Island, Falmouth, ME 04105. Featuring MDFF founders: Brenda Shertz and Roxanne Baker. $10 per day or free for USM students with valid student ID and children under 14. Join us Saturday night after MDFF for DNO! More information TBA! Questions? Contact: Sandra.wood@maine.edu.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2022. A tan poster with black text. At the center of the poster is a logo made up of different pairs of hands each making an ASL sign.
“Together we are stronger.” 18th Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival 2022 with special guest: Sheena Lyles. Friday, April 8th, 5 to 8:30 PM, showcase film: “WHAT?” Saturday, April 9th, 9 AM to 7:15 PM. Talbot Lecture Hall, Luther Bonney, Portland Campus. Admission: $10/day or free for children under 12 and students with a valid USM ID.

Festival on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Festival on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2019. Black poster with white text. The logo for this festival is a white drawing on a purple background. The drawing shows a girl leaving a room filled with audio equipment, walking through a looking glass and coming out in a room filled with film equipment.
17th Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival, “Through the looking glass,” with special guests: Ashley Hannan and Emily Blachly! Friday, April 12th at the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf – Conference Room. 4:30 to 5:30 PM, reception. 5:30 to 7 PM, presentation and art activities for children. 7 to 7:15 PM, intermission. 7:15 to 8:30 PM, film and discussion. Saturday, April 13th at the University of Southern Maine Wishcamper Center, room 133. 9:30 to 10 AM, morning refreshments. 10 AM to 12 PM, three films. 12 to 1 PM, lunch. 1 to 3 PM, three films. 3 to 3:15 PM, break. 3:15 to 5 PM, three films. 5 to 5:20 PM, break. 5:30 to 7 PM, three films. 7 to 7:15 PM, film awards. Admission: $10. Admission free for children under the age of 12. Admission free with VALID USM ID, no exceptions.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2018. Black poster with yellow text. The logo at the top of the poster depicts a film projector made up of hands/arms projecting the letters "MDFF."
Maine Deaf Film Festival 2018 with guest speakers Patti Durr and Roxanne Baker. April 20th, 6 to 9 PM. April 21s, 9:30 AM to 8:30 PM. Featuring Oscar Award winning film: The Silent Child. Admission: $10 per day, Saturday free for students with VALID student ID or children under 12. 133 Wishcamper Center, 34 Bedford St, Portland, ME 04101.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2017. At the top of the poster, there is a graphic for the festival. It depicts a tree, with the outline of the state of Maine on its trunk. The leaves are shaped like hands and the roots spell out "MDFF."
15th Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2017. Luther Bonney – Talbot Lecture Hall, University of Southern Maine Portland Campus, 96 Falmouth St., Portland ME 04103. April 28, Friday: 6 to 9 PM, films, Zac Stearn skit/workshop. April 29, Saturday: 12 to 9 PM, films, Bill Nye, Roxanne Baker, Barney Vega present on “Materials to Preserve Past, Present and Future about the Maine Deaf Community and its People.” Special Guest: Brenda Shertz. Theme: Back to our roots. Friday: $5 all night. Saturday: $10 all day. Combo: $12 for both Friday/Saturday. Contact: kelly.a.fitzgerald@maine.edu.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2016.
Blue carpet premiere April 16, 2016. MDFF. Schedule of events – Morning activities: 10 AM to 12 PM in Luther Bonney: Active and Movement with Zac Stearn, 10-12 PM (Luther Bonney Classroom). Feature Film, “Lost in Cell Block: Lost Road Back” 10:30 to 11:30 AM in Talbot Auditorium. Afternoon Premiere: 1 to 7 PM in Talbot Auditorium. Announcements, 1-1:15 PM. Doug Ridloff presents “CineSigns,” 1:15-2 PM. 2-2:30-3 PM: Category 1 Film Submissions. Trevor Patten Presents “The Film Industry: Deaf and hearing”, 2:30-3:15 PM. 3:15-3:45 PM: Category 2 Film Submissions. Branic Keltz Presents “Bison TV and Deaf nation”, 4-4:45 PM. 4:45 – 5:15 PM: Category 3 Film Submissions. 5:30-6 PM: Category 4 Film Submissions. Doug Ridloff Presents “Preservation of Deaf Language, Culture, and Arts Through The Media”, 6-6:45 PM. Blue Carpet Gala: 7 – 10 PM held in Woodbury Student Center: 7-8 PM: Hors d’oeuvres. 8-8:30 PM: Announcement of winners for category 1-4 film submissions. 8:30-10 PM: Music and closing ceremonies. $10 full day admission & gala reception. University of Southern Maine, 85 Bedford St., Portland. Never been seen before showings! Live voting on your favorite film! Winners will receive prizes!
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2015. The top of the poster has an illustration of Charlie Chaplin.
Maine Deaf Film Festival 2015. The Talbot Auditorium @ Luther Bonney Hall, University of Southern Maine, 90 Bedford St. Portland, Maine 04101. May 1st, 6p-930p: From Georgetown University, Ted Supalla begins the festival with a lecture and short films highlighting this year’s theme, “Deaf People in the Era of Silent Films.” Uncovering the values behind 20th century Deaf community films: 6-8p. Reception with light refreshments: 8-930p. May 2nd, 9a-8:30p: A day in the art and backdrop in the history of deaf people in film internationally and locally. Morning Session, 9-12p: Join one of the three workshops or enjoy a continuous reel of silent films. Note: The Media Editing workshop ends at 1p and is limited to 10 participants, registration required- contact Kelly.a.fitzgerald@maine.edu. Media Editing workshop: Mac Computer Lab. Children’s Theater Workshop: Luther Bonney #306. Adult Theater Workshop: Luther Bonney #302. Silent Film Screening: Talbot Auditorium. Afternoon Session 2-5p: Special feature films will be shown with brief lectures and Q/A discussions. The Deaf Mute Howls: 2p-3:30p. The George Veditz Preservation of Sign Language Series: 3:45-5p. Evening Session 6-8p: A local film production, LightME, features the following: Film, PEN WOOD, created by the Maine Deaf community: 6-6:30p. Demo, Versions of “PEN WOOD” by workshop participants, 6:30-6:45p. Panel, Behind the scenes: 7-8p. Closing Ceremony, 8-8:30p.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2014.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the 12th Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival 2014. Wednesday, April 23, Nickelodeon Theatre, 1 Temple Street, Portland. 7:30 pm – The House Across the Street. Directed and written by Arthur Luhn. 90 mins. All ages. General: $8. Free for USM Students with valid ID. At the Nickelodeon Theatre, 1 Temple Street, Portland. Q & A with filmmaker Arthur Luhn to follow. Thursday, April 24, Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall, Portland. 7:30 PM – A Life Without Words. Directed by Adam Isenberg. 71 mins. 2011. Nicaragua/Turkey co-production. Documentary. General: $8. Seniors, Children and non-USM students: $5. USM Students FREE with Valid ID. Q & A with filmmaker Adam Isenberg to follow. Friday, April 25, Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall, Portland. 7:30 pm – Silent Music. Director/Producer Melissa A. Gomez. 70 mins. 2012. Antigua. Documentary. General: $8. Seniors, Children and non-USM students: $5. USM Students FREE with Valid ID. Q & A with filmmaker Melissa A. Gomez to follow. Saturday, April 26, Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall, Portland. Half Day Admission: General: $8/Seniors/Children and non-USM students: $5. Full Day Admission: General: $14/Seniors/Children and non-USM students: $10. 1 pm – Opening Comments. 1:15 pm – Two Kinds of Fairytales: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (US, Family film, 51 mins) and Copper (New Zealand, Drama, 11 mins). 2:15 pm – Youth Films: Battery Battle (UK, Youth, 5 mins) and I Won’t Do that Again! (UK, Youth, 7 mins). 3 PM – Access to Communication, Education and Music: Deaf Schools (US, Documentary, 3 mins), Jacob’s Story (Australia, Documentary, 6 mins), Benefits of Sign Language (Denmark, Doc., 2 mins), Melody (US, Drama, 10 mins), Tree Fairy (UK, Drama, 25 mins) and Who Cares? (UK, Documentary, 26 mins). Q & A with filmmaker Louis Neethling to follow. 5 – 6:30 PM: Reception at the University Events Room, USM, 7th Floor, Glickman Library, 315 Forest Ave, Portland. 6:30 pm – Life Stories: Interview with Richard Griffiths (UK, Documentary, 15 mins) and 300 SECS (UK, Documentary, 20 mins). 7:05 pm – Experimental Thrillers: Coulrofobia (Brazil, Thriller, 14 mins) and Dark Thinker (US, Thriller, 18 mins). 8:15 pm – Abount Sound, Dance and Love: Dansen in Stilte (The Netherlands, Documentary, 25 mins), Hear me out (The Netherlands, Documentary, 23 mins), THIS IS NORMAL (US, Drama, 20 mins) and Silent Melody (India, Romance, 10 mins). 9:30 pm – Strange Love: Closed Caption (Canada, Drama, 11 mins), Frekvens (Frequency) (Sweeden, Drama, 11 mins) and Distress Mary (US, Thriller, 11 mins). Film Schedule is Subject to Change. Sponsors: USM Board of Student Organizations, Hamilton Relay/Maine Center on Deafness, Mary Jane Grant Sign Language Interpreting Services, Certified Interpreting, Deaf Women of Maine, and Maine Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. ASL/English Interpretation provided. www.MaineDeafFilmFest.com. For more information, please call the USM Linguistics Department: Videophone 207-766-7107, Voice 207-780-4582, Email: kelly.a.fitzgerald@maine.edu.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2013.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the 11th Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival 2013. Sponsored by the USM Board of Student Organizations, Certified Interpreting. USM Portland – Talbot Auditorium, 92 Bedford Street. Parking available at the Woodbury Campus Center Lot. USM STUDENTS FREE with valid ID – FILM SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE – ASL/ENGLISH INTERPRETING PROVIDED. Wednesday, April 10 – Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street, Portland. 207-828-5600. 7:30 pm Mea Maxima Culpa (US, Documentary, 1 hour 45 mins). $8/$6 for SPACE Members and students. This film is NOT RATED and may not be suitable for all ages de to adult language and adult content. Friday, April 12 – Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall. 7 pm – Lake Windfall (US, Thriller, 1 hour 50 mins). $10 General Admission. This film is NOT YET RATED. Film contains profanity and mild violence. Some material may not be appropriate for children under 13. Parents are urged to give special guidance. Saturday April 13 – Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall. Half Day Admission: General: $8/Seniors/Children and non-USM students: $5. Full Day Admission: General: $14/Seniors/Children and non-USM students: $10. 1 pm – Opening Comments. 1:15 pm – The Land of Oz: Wizard of Oz (US, Family film, 37 mins). 2 pm – Deaf Education: Little World (UK, Animation, 8 mins) and You, Me (UK, Drama, 24 mins). 2:30 pm – British Comedy: Life Out There (UK, Comedy, 26 mins) and Still Here (UK, Comedy, 27 mins). 3:30 pm – Family Drama: Strangers (UK, Drama, 12 mins), Without You (US, Drama, 9 mins) and The Deaf Childhood (France, Doc., 64 mins). 5-6:30 pm – Reception at the University Events Room, USM, 7th Floor, Glickman Library, 314 Forest Avenue, Portland. 6:30 pm – World Events: September 11th (UK, Documentary, 10 mins), US (Germany, Documentary, 23 mins), Crossing the Divide (UK, Documentary, 16 mins) and Confession (UK, Drama, 24 mins). 8 pm – Main Feature: Conned (US, Action/Comedy, 1 hour 38 mins) [This film is NOT RATED. Film has profanity, violence and nudity and may not be suitable for children under 17.]. Film discussion with producer Arthur Luhn after the film. www.MaineDeafFilmFest.com. For more information, please call the USM Linguistics Department: Videophone 207-766-7107, Voice 207-780-4582, Email: kelly.a.fitzgerald@maine.edu.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2012.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the Maine Deaf Film Festival 2012. University of Southern Maine, Portland – Parking available at Woodbury Campus Center lot. Proudly Sponsored by: Platinum Sponsor: USM Board of Student Organizations. Golden Globe Sponsors: Maine Center on Deafness, Maine Relay, ZVRS. Silver Screen Sponsors: Sorenson, Maine RID. Local Sponsors: Subway, Coffee By Design, Shaw’s, Paul’s Food Center, Granny’s Burritos, Panera Bread, Bull Feeney’s, Poland Spring, DiMillo’s, Hannaford’s. Wednesday, April 11: 7-9:30 pm at Payson Smith 303. General Admission: FREE, Donations welcome. Our Locally Made Film: Resoled (US). Talk with Rob Gillies, director of the film. Cops, lawyers, and a dog: Deaf Beat (UK); Gone with the Time (UK); The Shredder (US). Artistic Pursuits I: Silent Classics; The Proprietor (US); Interstice (France). Thursday, April 12, 7:30-10:30 pm, Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall. General Admission: $5, USM Students: FREE with USM ID. A Retrospective: The best of our Film Festivals – From 2003: Alice and the Aurifactor (Germany). From 2004: To Have/To Find (US). From 2005: Mr. V (US). From 2006: Text. Batteries, and Earwax (UK); Don’t Mind (US). From 2007: Coming Out (UK); Deaf Person’s Guide to the Sound Sensitive (UK); Vital Signs (US). From 2008: Chalkboard (US); Four Deaf Yorkshiremen (UK); Horatio (UK). From 2009: Deaf Man (US). From 2010: A Fishy Tale and The Compost (New Zealand); A Million Pounds Don’t Come For Free (UK). From 2011: Fish Cultural Identification, Cheeseburger Story, The Deaf Moth Theory, The Hotel Joke and Conversations with Doctors (US); Beyond Essays (US); Hands Solo (UK). Friday, April 13, 7:30-10:30 pm, Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall. General Admission: $10, USM Students: FREE with USM ID. ASL Music Videos: Sean Forbes – “Hammer” & “Let’s Mambo!”; D-PAN – “We’re going to be Friends”; Jules Dameron – “Hero”. Feature film: The Hammer (US). Guest Speaker: Shoshannah Stern. Saturday, April 14. 1/2 Day Saturday [afternoon 1-5 pm or evening 6:30-10:30 pm]: General Admission: $8, Seniors, children, non-USM students with ID: $5, USM Students: FREE with USM ID. Full Day Saturday [1 – 10:30 pm]: General Admission: $14, Seniors, children, non-USM students with ID: $10, USM Students: FREE with USM ID. 5 – 6:30 pm – Open Reception for Saturday attendees at the Glickman Library, 7th Floor, 314 Forest Avenue, Portland. 1 – 5 pm, Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall – Animation: Chasing Cotton Clouds (UK). Science Fiction: Exit the Sun (US); The End (UK). Holocaust/Nazism: Five Needles (UK); Deaf Austrians and National Socialism: The Clubs (Austria). Documentary: Signing On: Stories of Deaf Breast Cancer Survivors, Their Families and the Deaf Community (US). Guest Speakers: Anita and Tim Buel, subjects of the film, Signing On. 6:30 – 10:30 pm, Talbot Auditorium, Luther Bonney Hall – British Dramatic Comedy: Admit None (UK); 50/50 (UK); Otherside (UK). Transgendered: Austin Unbound (US). Artistic Pursuits II: Deaf Jam (US); Words (US). Guest Speakers: Austin from Austin Unbound and director Eliza Greenwood.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2011.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the Deaf Film Festival 2011. USM Portland – Talbot Auditorium – Parking Available at the Woodbury Campus Center Lot – www.MaineDeafFilmFest.com. USM Students free with student ID. Film schedule is subject to change. ASL/English Interpreting provided. Sponsors: USM Board of Student Organizations, Maine Center on Deafness, Certified Interpreting, Mary Jane Grant Sign Language Interpreting Services, Sorenson, KEWL ASL, Clayton’s Cafe, Coffee by Design, Margarita’s, DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant and Waddapita! Friday, April 8, $5 General Admission for all and USM Students free with USM ID. 7:00 pm: Opening Comments. 7:15 pm: See What I’m Saying (90 mins). 8:45 pm: Film discussion with Hilary Scorl, producer, See What I’m Saying. Saturday, April 9. Half Day Admission: General $8 / Seniors, Children & Non-USM Students: $5. Full Day Admission: General $14 / Seniors, Children & Non-USM Students: $10. 1:00 pm: Opening comments. 1:15 pm: ASL Music Videos: I’m Deaf (4 mins), Deaf not Dumb (3 mins), Smells Like Victory (5 mins), Just the Way You Are (4 mins), What’s Love Got To Do With It? (4 mins), I don’t Need Your Cure! (5 mins). 1:45 pm: Animation: Sipha The Lion, Rubbish Monster and Twisted Fate (3 mins), Deafhood The Journey (4 mins), Fish Cultural Identification, Cheeseburger Story, The Deaf Moth Theory, The Hotel Joke and Conversations with Doctors (8 mins). 2:00 pm: Light Shorts: Deaf Perception (5 mins), Ladies Special, Catch & Release, Parking Meter and Persistence (15 mins), Film discussion with Trevor Patten, filmmaker, Catch Santa (27 mins), Film discussion with Kamau Buchanan, filmmaker. 3:15 pm: Intermission. 3:30 pm: Documentaries: Deaf in Pink (24 mins), Anna’s Silent Struggle (56 mins). 5 – 6:30 pm: Reception at Woodbury Campus Center, USM. 6:30 pm: Opening comments. 6:45 pm: Julia Dameron films: Beyond Essays (12 mins), Deaf Man (9 mins), Raw (5 mins), Film discussion with Julia Dameron, filmmaker. 7:45 pm: About Gallaudet: Gallaudet: The Movie (9 mins), The Gallaudet Syndrome: Rebirth (9 mins). 8:00 pm: Intermission. 8:15 pm: A Holocaust Story: Inglelore (40 mins). 9:00 pm: British Humor: Fairytale of London Town (27 mins), The Fingerspellers (27 mins), Deaf Mugger (3 mins), Hands Solo (15 mins). FILM SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. www.MaineDeafFilmFest.com. For more information, please call the USM Linguistics Department: TTY 207-780-4069, VOICE 207-780-4582, Email: elee@usm.maine.edu.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2010.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the 8th Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival 2010. USM Portland – Talbot Auditorium – Parking available at the Woodbury Campus Center Lot. USM STUDENTS FREE – FILM SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE – ASL/ENGLISH INTERPRETING PROVIDED. Sponsors: Maine Center on Deafness, Certified Interpreting, Board of Student Organizations, Purple HOVRS, Garelick Farms, Coffee By Design, DiMillo’s, Big Sky Bread Co., Hannaford, The Great Lost Bear, Bull Feeney’s, Maine RID. Friday, April 16 – Student Films. Admission Price: Free/Donations accepted, USM students FREE for both Friday and Saturday. 6:00 pm: Opening Comments. 6:10 pm: The Gift (Gov. Baxter School for the Deaf, Maine, 50 mins). 7:00 pm: Intermission. 7:15 pm: New Friends (California School for the Deaf, Riverside, 18 mins). 7:35 pm: Twisted (California School for the Deaf, Riverside, 25 mins). 8:00 pm: Deaf Tend (National Technical Institute for the Deaf, 16 mins). International Films: 8:30 PM – New Zealand Shorts: A Fish Tale (7 mins), The Compost (7 mins), The Lift Girls (6.5 mins), The Full Comeback (6.25 mins). 9:00 pm: Casa Senas [The House of Signs] (Cuba and US, 50 mins). 10:00 pm: Verbontene Sprache [Forbidden Language] (Switzerland, 40 mins). Saturday, April 17. Half Day Admission: General $8 / Seniors, Children & Non-USM Students: $5. Full Day Admission: General $14 / Seniors, Children & Non-USM Students: $10. 1:00 pm: Opening Comments. 1:10 pm – ASL Music Shorts from D-PAN, US: Waiting On The World to Change (US, 3 mins), Beautiful (US, 4 mins), Our Life (Sign Mark, Finland, 4 mins). 1:25 pm: The Heart of Hydrogen Jukebox (US, 116 mins). 3:25 pm: Intermission. 3:40 pm: Voices from El-Sayed (Israel, 52 mins). 4:30 pm: Worry: A Jewish Deaf-Blind Survivor Shares her Story (US, 31 mins). 5 – 6:30 pm: Reception at Woodbury Campus Center, USM, Portland. 6:30 pm: Opening Comments. 7:00 pm: Universal Signs (US, 100 mins). 8:45 pm: Film discussion with Robert DeMayo, Universal Signs. 9:15 pm: Intermission. 9:30 pm – British Dark Shorts: Coming Home (UK, 27 mins), A Million Pounds Don’t Come For Free (UK, 8.25 mins), Dead Money (UK, 15 mins). www.MaineDeafFilmFest.com. For more information, please call the USM Linguistics Department: TTY 207-780-4069, VOICE 207-780-4582, Email: elee@usm.maine.edu.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2009.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the Seventh Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival 2009. Saturday, April 4, 2009 – Talbot/Luther Bonney Auditorium, Portland Campus. Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible: Platinum Sponsors: University of Southern Maine Board of Student Organizations, Hamilton Relay, Maine Center on Deafness. Local Sponsors: Coffee by Design, Garelick Farms, Clayton’s Cafe, DeMillo’s. Tickets: Full Day (1:00 – 10:30 pm) $14 for adults, $10 for Seniors, children or non-USM students. Half Day (1:00 – 5:00 pm OR 6:30 – 10:30 pm) $8 for adults, $5 for Seniors, children or non-USM students. USM Students Free with USM Student ID. ASL/English Interpreting available – open to the public. Parking available on Portland Woodbury Campus Center student ground lot. Festival Program (Schedule subject to change): 1:00 – 1:30 – Animation and Early Shorts: Deaf Bugs I, The Forest, Ameslan Animals, Orange, Slip of the Foot, “Handful” Airport. 1:30 – 2:00 – Planet of the Deaf: Land of the Deaf, Through the Hands, Bald Brothers, God’s Punishment, Redeaf Planet, Three Wishes Wasted. 2:00 – 3:00 – Experimental Shorts: The Tortoise and the Hare, Pay Attention, The Stranger That Signs, Flipped, Deaf Skateboarders, Out of Limb, The Hitchhiker, The Bet, Our Song, Deaf Man. 3:00 – 4:30 – Documentary/Narratives on Being Deaf: Signing Hands Talking Heads, Re-Defining Deaf. 4:30 – 5:00 – Guest Speaker: Filmmaker, Ryan Commerson. 5:00 – 6:30 – Reception & Student Films: Trouble at the Driftwood, Stoked. 6:30 – 7:15 – Guest Speaker: Filmmaker, Wayne Betts, Jr. 7:15 – 8:45 – Feature Film: The Caretaker. 8:45 – 9:20 – British Comic Relief: Four Deaf Yorkshiremen, Four Deaf Yorkshiremen and the Missing Wife. 9:20 – 10:30 – Dark Secrets: A Brutal Awakening, Carter, The Guest, The Blue Box.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2008.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the Sixth Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival, Saturday, April 19th, 2008. Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible: Platinum Sponsors: University of Southern Maine Board of Student Organizations, Sorenson VRS, Maine Center on Deafness, Hamilton Relay. Bronze Sponsors: Certified Interpreting. Friends of the Festival: University of Southern Maine Department of Linguistics. Reception Sponsors: Coffee By Design, Garelick Farms, Amato’s & many other Local ME eateries! Tickets: USM Students Free with USM Student ID. Full Day (1:00 – 10:30 pm) $14 for adults, $10 for Seniors, children or non-USM students. Half Day (1:00 – 5:00 pm OR 6:30 – 10:30 pm) $8 for adults, $5 for Seniors, children or non-USM students. Festival Program (Schedule subject to change): 1:00 – Laying the Groundwork: History of Oppression: Introductions; I Think – Therefore I am. 1:45 – Young, Deaf Filmmakers: Lighter Fare of Animation, Humor and Adventures: Deaf Way & Golfhead; Nice N Ezy; Blind Date; Dr. Black; Schizophrenia; Loveless, Lonely, and a Loser; Pieces. 2:45 – Playing With Stereotypes: Hearing? Deaf? No one gets spared!: Audism; Bionic Hand Implant; Four Deaf Yorkshire Men; Chalkboard. 3:00 – Feature Film: The Deaf Family. 4:30 – Guest Speaker: Wayne Betts, Jr. 5:00 – Open Reception, Woodbury Campus Center. 6:30 – Guest Speaker: Wayne Betts, Jr. 7:00 – Feature Film: A Permanent Grave. 8:15 – Deaf Student Filmmakers, Part II: Heavier Things: Numb; Dottie’s Ride; Paint It Loud!. 9:45 – Sign Language Poetry: Bewogen; La Goutte D’Eau. 10:15 – Wave of the Future: Experimental Sign Language Cinematography: Vital Signs; White Sound; Horatio. 10:30 – Closing Statements. For more information, please call the USM Linguistics Department: TTY 207-780-4069, VOICE 207-780-4582, Email: elee@usm.maine.edu.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2007.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the Fifth Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival, March 16th & 17th, 2007, University of Southern Maine, Portland. Thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible: Platinum Sponsors: Maine Center on Deafness, Hamilton Relay, University of Southern Maine Board of Student Organizations. Golden Globe Sponsors: Colonial Chemical Co.. Silver Screen Sponsors: Pine Tree Society, Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Bronze Curtail Sponsors: Certified Interpreting, Maine RID, The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, University of Southern Maine Department of Linguistics, Norway Savings Bank. Concessions Stand Sponsors: Maine Division of Deafness, Community Counseling Center, Maine Association of the Deaf, Alpha One, Henry and Carlene Morton. Friday: Friday Night Admission: $6 regular/$4 USM-student ID, children under 12, senior discount. Friday/Saturday Combo Tix: $18/$15 USM, children, seniors. To reserve tickets in advance email: justine.higgins@maine.edu or kate.wyman@maine.edu. Saturday: Saturday, Full Day: $12/$14 USM, children, seniors. Saturday Half Day: Afternoon (1-5pm) OR Night (6:30-10:30pm): $8/$6 USM, children, seniors. For information: Esther Lee – elee@usm.maine.edu. Festival Program: Friday March 16: 6 – 7:30 pm – Opening Reception: Abromson Community Ed. Center, USM. 7:30 – 10:30 – Film Screening of “Forget Me Not” & lecture by actor and director, Mindy Moor, Talbot/Luther Bonney Auditorium, USM. Watch Movie Preview: www.aslfilms.com. Saturday, March 17, Talbot/Luther Bonney Auditorium, USM: 1:00 pm – Wacky scientists: Then and Now (US); That Thing from Outer Space (US); Blue Apple (US). 2:00 pm – Films from Gov. Baxter School for the Deaf: Alice (US); Rose’s Rascals! (US). 3:45 pm – Stories from Gallaudet: The G Files (US); A Journey of Gallaudet Protest (US); Let’s Meet Gideon (US). 4:30 pm – Deaf People and War: Exodus (US); Deaf People and the Battle of Okinawa (Japan). 5:00 pm – Reception at the Woodbury Campus Center, USM. 6:30 pm – “Being British” and “Lonely in Norway”: Coming Out (UK); Spirit of the Letter (UK); Deaf Person’s Guide to the Sound Sensitive (IK); Cafe Lyon (Norway); Nilsen (Norway). 7:00 pm – Adventures around the World: Dietro Mondo, Parts 1 & 2 (Italy); The Last Deaf (Germany); Keychain (US). 9:00 pm – Believing and Sinning: Sticky Situation (US); Pardoned (US); Seven Deadly Sins (France). 9:45 pm – Life and Death: Til Domestic Violence Do Us Part (US); Page Me (US); And I Die Soon (US/Canada); Vital Signs; Resonare. Schedule subject to change. ASL/English interpreting provided. Talbot/Luther Bonney Auditorium, Portland Campus, USM. Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17, 2007.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2006.
The American Sign Language Club and the Department of Linguistics at the University of Southern Maine present the Fourth Annual Maine Deaf Film & Video Festival. Saturday, April 15, 2006, Luther Bonney Auditorium, Portland Campus, USM, 1 – 11 pm. Thanks to our sponsors for making this event possible: Platinum Sponsors: Hamilton Relay, Maine Center on Deafness, Sorenson Video Relay, Board of Student Organizations at University of Southern Maine. Bronze Sponsors: Alpha One, Certified Interpreting, Dept. of Linguistics at USM, Art Barn. Tickets: Advance Sales: Full Day – $12 ($6 for USM Students), Half Day – $6 ($3 for USM Students). At the Door: Full Day – $15 ($6 for USM Students), Half Day – $8 ($3 for USM Students). Half day tickets can be 1-5 or 6:30-11. Order tickets at 207-332-3176. Senior Citizens and children under the age of 16 receive USM student prices. For more information, please call the USM Linguistics Department: TTY 207-780-4069, VOICE 207-780-4989. Email: elee@usm.maine.edu. Directions at www.usm.maine.edu/generalinfo.htm. Festival info at www.deafmaine.com/usm-dff-4.htm. Festival Program: 1:00 – Inside Deaf Culture: Welcome 2 My Deaf World (Australia); Dormitory (US); No Talking Allowed (US). 3:45 PM – Telling Like It Is: Nathie: No Hand-Me-Downs (US); Pinky Tells the Real Story: Videophone and Video Relay Services (US). Lecture to follow: Pinky Aiella, actor and producer of Pinky Tells the Real Story. 5:00 PM – Reception at the Woodbury Campus Center. 6:30 PM – British Humor: Tricks (UK); Chronic Embarrassment (UK); Nor From Where I’m Standing (UK); Text Batteries and Earwax (UK). 7:30 PM – To Be or Not To Be (Deaf): Last Deaf (Germany); Dis?Able (UK). 8:00 PM – Feature Film: Stille Liebe [Secret Love] (Switzerland). 9:30 PM – Shorts: Reve de Clown (France); Blue Gush (Japan); Motion of Confusion (Japan); How Bugs Get Inside the Lights (Canada); Don’t Mind (US); Booger (US); Fast Food (US); Help Me (US). Schedule subject to change.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2005.
Caption: The American Sign Language Club and the University of Southern Maine Linguistics Department present the Third Annual Maine Deaf Film & Video Festival. Saturday, April 16, 2005, Luther Bonney Auditorium, Portland Campus, USM, 1 – 11 pm. Festival Program – 1:00 PM – Introductions: To Have/To Find (animation); Flying Fingers; In/visible signs; See(m)ing is Believing; What is Art?; The Leaf; The Lips; Auto. 200 PM: Cigars 101; Tree Top Opera; Deaf Northwest; Overdue; Text, Batteries and Earwax. 3:30 PM: Audism Unveiled. Lecture to follow: Dr. H-Dirkensen Bauman, producer of Audism Unveiled. 5:00 PM: Reception at the Woodbury Student Center. 6:30 PM: Jack in the Box; Deaf Noir; J&J Exterminators; Little Hands; Asrama ku; Last reels; Help Me. 7:45 PM: Soulmate; Don’t Mind; Mother’s Love; Mr. V. 8:15 PM: Dear Frankie (feature film).
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2004.
2nd Annual Maine Deaf Film Festival. Saturday, May 22, USM Science Building, Falmouth St., Portland. Afternoon Session: 1 to 5 PM. Evening Session: 6 to 10 PM. Tickets can be purchased at: USM Woodbury Campus Center – “Student Involvement Desk” (on Bedford St.); Maine Center on Deafness – 68 Bishop St., Portland, Maine, 797-7656 V/TTY, 1(800) 639-3884 (outside Portland) V/TTY; DFF c/o USM ASL Lab (by mail) – 68 High St, Portland, Maine 04102, make checks payable to “ASL Club DFF”. We strongly recommend purchasing tickets in advance as seating is limited. Before May 20: Full Day Ticket: $15 for adults, $12 for students, seniors, children 6-17. After May 20: Individual Session: $10 for adults, $7 for student, seniors, children 6-17. Afternoon Session, 1:00-5:00 PM. Golden Rays (Nepal, S. Pandey/K. Shrestha) – “Humanity des not come from speech, it comes through the heart, like Golden Rays.” Our feature film. Two Worlds Apart (USA, thriller, Bernard Bragg) – The legendary Bernard Bragg directs and stars in this short thriller about a tormented deaf man. Chronic Embarrassment (UK, short drama, Sam Dore) – Three deaf Bristol chums swap tales of clubbing in the hearing world. Insightful, hip, with an unexpected twist. Key to the Stars (France, children, Pierre-Louis Levacher) – The enchanting and magical story of a sensitive you deaf girl who befriends a signing “automaton” in her attic. Visually beautiful and heartwarming. LA Club for the Deaf (USA, Documentary, James DeBee) – Emmy-award winning documentary exploring the development of a renowned Deaf organization. Cutting the Edge of a Free Bird (USA, drama, Ann Bryan) – Deaf and lesbian teen struggles making life choices. Escape (Ireland, drama, Stephen Benedict) – Teen angst drives deaf girl to conceive of a daring escape. Alice and the Aurifactor (Germany, drama, Jorg Fockele) – An award-winning and powerful expressionist art film: Alice confronts the evil sorcerer. Who will win? Adu Ivumun [When I heard] (UK, M. Hilmy/A. Jones) – A nine year-old deaf boy sees his father come out of the sea with a new hearing aid. Not the Usual Victim; Chlorine Dreams; Swallowing (Australia, comedy, Sofya Gollan) – Three dark comedies from down-under. A kidnapping, a watery friend, and a spoonful of medicine. Destination: Eyeth (USA, comedy, Arthur Kuhn) – A hilarious slaptick adventure: think Red Green meets Jules Verne, with special guest Wile E. Coyote. F1; Chat; Chat est Sourd (France, comedy, Philippe Le Goff) – Three short vignettes (about his cat and racing) from an offbeat French director with a wicked sense of humor. God Kill Her (Israel, documentary, Avi Hemmy) – Astonishing portrait of deaf women in Israel. To Have/To Find (USA, animation, Susan Dupor) – A charming animated short about a young deaf girl’s escape into an idyllic dreamworld.
Poster for the Maine Deaf Film Festival, 2003.
First Annual Maine Deaf Film & Video Festival. Luther Bonney Auditorium, USM, Portland. 207-780-5933 TTY, 207-780-5957 Voice, deaffilmfest@yahoo.com. Friday, May 30, 2003: 6 PM – Opening Reception: Come join us in celebrating our First Deaf Film and Video Festival. 7 PM: He Says, She Signs (USA, 1995, 10 min., ASL and English): He Says, She Signs is the story about the relationship between a Deaf woman and a hearing man. This short film portrays a situation often encountered when the hearing and deaf cultures come into conflict. Produced and directed by Dawn Schakett. Look At Me So I Can Hear You (USA, 1993, 12.5 min., English): Look at Me So I Can Hear You tries to capture on film what it feels like to be the only Deaf person in a family and in a school. The film evokes the sensation – familiar to most deaf people – of being isolated in a world where hearing people do not understand deaf people. Produced and directed by Dawn Schakett. To Have/To Find (USA, 1991, 5.5 min., ASL): To Have/To Find is a hand-drawn animated short film that reflects the dream of perfect communication. A young deaf girl and her beloved pet Chihuahua Lucky escape from a world where she is frustrated with her communication into a fairytale dream world where she is free to communicate with her environment in a novel way. Drawn and directed by Susan Dupor. 7:45 PM: Facilitated discussion. In person: Dawn Schakett. 8 PM: The Keys to the Stars (France, 1999, 22 min., French Sign Language): In a dusty old granary, Claire, a young deaf child meets a strange automaton that talks by signs the way she does. Bored and lonely, the automaton asks the little girl to tell him each night all she knows about the secrets of life. The automaton is haunted by a mystery that will lead it to seek escape from the granary. Directed by Pierre Louis Levacher. Alice and the Aurifactor (Germany, 1995, 28 min., German Sign Language with German intertitles and English captions: This inspiring Deaf twist on the Peter Pan legend begins with a mother telling her daughter a bedtime story about a once peaceful land where Deaf people are oppressed by an evil sorcerer into hearing with over-sized ears. The girl is woken in the middle of the night and brought to this land where she engages in a battle of wits and hearts to overcome the sorcerer’s evil plans. Jorg Fockele’s imaginative direction recalls German Expressionism. 9 PM: Facilitated Discussion. 9:15 PM: Konigskinder (Germany, 2000, 70 min., no dialogue): Director Lutz Gregor specializes in experimental documentaries and video dance projects. Set in a small town in Italy, this film is the tale of an unusual friendship between a deaf boy and a dancer. The film reflects upon the desire for hearing and moving, the sounds of silence, the beauty of sign language. Deaf can dance. A film nearly without words. 10:30 PM: Join us for desserts. All invited. Saturday, May 31, 2003: 1 PM: The Ride (USA, 1999, 28 min., English with captions): A folk singer who has just ended a relationship that had been his inspiration, cancels his engagements and starts driving west. While crossing the California desert, he picks up a hitchhiker who doesn’t hear or speak. Through their encounter Jack rediscovers the creative voice he thought he had lost. Director John Flanders. 1:45 PM: Facilitated discussion. 2 PM: The Golden Legacy (USA, 2002, 1 hr. 52 min., ASL, No Audio): George Allen, the deaf protagonist of this film, suddenly finds himself caught up in a sinister mystery as he gets drawn into an old deaf man’s quest for a long-lost treasure. George’s adventure is replete with double-crosses, booby traps, secret passages, and moving bookshelves. This feature film was directed by a Deaf filmmaker and stars many Deaf actors. Written, produced and directed by Arthur Luhn. 4 PM: Touching Lives: Portraits of Deaf-Blind People (USA, 2002, 56 min., ASL and English): “Imagine a world without sound… Imagine a world without sign… Now put those two worlds together,” begins this unusual documentary. Narrated by deaf-blind advocate, Susan Hajjar, this film invites hearing-sighted audiences to share the experiences of members one of the most mysterious and misunderstood cultures in Boston – the culture of the hearing and vision impaired. Written and produced by Susan Hajjar and Myles Gordon. 5 PM: Facilitated discussion. 6:30 PM: From Eyes to Hands (USA, 2003, 10 min., ASL and English): We feature the first public showing of a Maine-made film about the life of the well known itinerant artist John Brewster, Jr. (1766-1854), who was one of the first students at the American School for the Deaf, founded by Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc. Producer Alyssa Gagnon, director Jessica Borelli, and Deaf consultant Bill Nye will be on hand to discuss the making of the film. On My Own (USA, 1985, 14 min., ASL and English): A student film by Pearl Swan Youth and Kim Buwon. Two young women, one deaf and one hearing, deal with cultural conflicts. Features Maine actress Roxanne Baker. 7 PM: Bangok Dangerous (Thailand, 2000, 108 min., Thai with English subtitles): Rated R. This hyper thriller about friendship, love, betrayal and gangsters centers on the complex character of a deaf hit man named Kong. Reclusive and cold, Kong comes under the spell of a seasoned killer, Joe, who trains him as a paid assassin. This violent film uses Kong’s deafness not so much as shorthand for the “silent” male, but as an emblem of childhood trauma. Written by The Pang Brothers. 9 PM: Afterimage (USA, 2001, 91 min., ASL and English with captions): Rated R. This taut psychological thriller is energized by the passion between a crime scene photographer and a beautiful deaf woman with psychic powers. Death haunts his past and fills her forebodings of the future. Circumstances pit them in a race against time against a psychotic killer obsessed with recording death, as they must reckon with their demons to precent his next strike. Written and directed by Bob Manganelli.