Jenseits der Stille

As the child of a single parent who is deaf, Beyond Silence is, in most aspects, a very true portrait of how I grew up. Scenes such as going to the bank and talking to the teacher were my actual experiences and difficulties I have faced all the time. It was just so real I couldn't help getting emotional as the story went on. For those who live or work with deaf or hard-of-hearing people, this is a must see; for those who don't, you should definitely see it as well and cherish your good sense of hearing -- being able to communicate easily is not a gift for everyone as most people take for granted.

German films are like a tombola.You pull a lottery ticket and mostly its waste money. But sometimes you have luck and your ticket is the jackpot. Caroline Link,the director,from Bad Nauheim,my home town,is with Tom Tykwer and Hans-Christian Schmid the only hope for the german film. It was her first film for the cinema and then it was nominated for the golden globe. Its a wonderful film. You can love,hate,dream,cry and laugh. The protagonists are all very believeable. Mrs.Link doesn t need any special effects or optical drumbaborium to tell her story. One newspaper wrote,as good as candle-light,and thats the perfect description of the film. And I want to add,as soft as snow-flakes.

Young Lara is in a most unusual situation: her parents are both deaf-mute, so she has to communicate for both of them. It's sort of a constraining situation, and when a relative gives Lara the chance to become a musician, her parents try to keep her at home. She will have to choose.

The idea of the daughter having to speak for her parents is not something that I ever would have thought about, but "Jenseits der Stille" (called "Beyond Silence" in English) made me think about it. It's always good to be able to see such intellectual stories, especially when Hollywood makes so many pointless blow-'em-up movies.

I was lucky enough to get to see this movie in a German lesson in school. Basically right from the start I was caught up in it and knew, that this would be something different. The mood of the movie simply progressed with ease and gentleness, and at the same time hurled you into a world many never would have thought of. The world of a normal young girl, who has to go through an unusual dilemma, because both of her parents are deaf, and at the same time face the difficulties of life, experiencing her own true self. Finding herself turns out to be one of the real challenges in her life, because she has to separate herself from her parents and walk down her own path, without turning her back on them. She wants to be a musician, an idea which her father does not understand or support. Becoming a musician, despite the fact that her parents are deaf, gives a very clear and pure image, of how children tend to disobey their parents and create their own identity. The movie ends without really wrapping up every lose end, but it does not spoil it. Nonetheless it gives the movie the perfect ending, in which everything that really matters, works out. The idea of the movie and the very story has, as I have mentioned, a very deep and original plot, but this movies has more to it than this. Great acting (especially from the father), great music and is overall greatly directed and written. Good movie with many details. 7/10

I recently rented the movie, "Beyond the Silence," and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

As a sign language interpreter, I have read many books about CODA's (Children of Deaf Adults). I think that "Beyond the Silence" does a pretty good job of showing the difficulty and extra responsibilities that a child with deaf parents experiences.

If you enjoyed this movie, I would suggest reading the book "At a Loss for Words." It's a very touching story about a girl growing up with deaf parents and coming to terms with her feeling of guilt and anger and also love for them.

I'm not trying to be "preachy," but PLEASE don't call deaf people "mute." That term is negative and out-of-date.