Jenseits der Stille

Contrary to previous comments, sign language is NOT the same around the world. It is true that American Sign Language and French Sign Language are quite similar; this is because one of the first teachers of the deaf in the United States was a Frenchman, Laurent Clerc. However, at the the present time, French and American Sign Languages only have about 50% lexical similarity. Additionally, although German Sign Language is somewhat similar to other European sign languages, it is not related to ASL at all.

The sign language used by the little girl in this movie is German Sign Language. Her father is played by an American deaf man and her mother is played by a French deaf woman; their signing in German Sign Language is understandably accented.

For the record, I am a certified interpreter in American Sign Language.

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 That term is negative and out-of-date.

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 think this is a GREAT film, and a wonderful piece of artwork. A very touching story between Lara and her parents. By the end I was weeping I was so touched ( and I don't cry easily at movies ). The Deaf culture is one very few of us take time to understand, but I think through films we can at least try. I HIGHLY recommend this film to anyone who is interested in Deaf culture, or just a great foreign film.

"Beyond Silence" is the story of a young girl who is a musical prodigy, but her parents have no appreciation for her talents because they are deaf. Immediately you can see how this brilliantly summarizes the plight of so many youngsters, across all generations, whose hopes and dreams fall on deaf ears. In that sense, this film applies to all of us regardless of whether we play music or grow up dealing with disabilities in the family. This story is universal and timeless.

Excellently acted all around (with the 2 deaf parents played by actors who are deaf in real life), I think the character who steals the show is the young girl Lara, age 7ish, played by Tatjana Trieb. She is intelligent and clever, often manipulating the situation to her benefit in a cheeky way (for example, acting as translator between her parents and her teachers but only translating what she wants them to know). In a subtle way, it sets the tone that our young protagonist is not a victim but rather a rebel who is willing to stand up for herself. Thus, even though the plot may seem like a frustrating ride, it's actually the opposite. The young girl is the one who's in control most of the time.

The story then jumps ahead several years with the role of Lara being assumed by Sylvie Testud, whom you may recognize from her role in "La Vie en Rose" 10 years after this. The young adult Lara is now living in Berlin and navigating her life away from her family, but there are complications. Enter the aunt, "Clarissa" (Sibylle Canonica) who is a complex character suffering from a host of mental issues due to always playing second fiddle to her deaf brother (Lara's father). As we see Clarissa become increasingly unhinged, possibly manipulating Lara's career for her own interests, the story takes on a deeper layer. It's this 2nd plot--relating to the collateral damage that a disability has on other family members--that really spices up the story.

"Beyond Silence" lots of food for thought, regardless of whether your life mirrors the lives of these characters. It's a thick family drama that revolves around the emotional friction within a family when people don't "hear" each other, literally or figuratively.