Community Cinema Vashon Screens DEAF JAM

Community Cinema Vashon will be screening the film DEAF JAM this Sunday, October 16th at 3pm at the Ober Park Performance Room. This event is FREE and happens on the third Sunday of every month. The Community Cinema monthly series from ITVS, Independent Television Service, premiers documentary films which will soon be aired on the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens. These films cover a wide range of interesting topics about important issues of our time as well as audience favorites from film festivals across the country. Viewers are taken to places that they would not otherwise see, and encounter people that they would not otherwise meet.

There are many types of poetry in the world today, but one that may be new to many people is ASL. ASL - American Sign Language- is the dominant mode of communication for deaf people using sign, and is a highly expressive three-dimensional art form. The filmmaker Judy Leiff explores its beauty in DEAF JAM, the story of Aneta Brodske, a deaf teen living in New York City, who discovers the power of American Sign Language poetry. Performing in ASL involves dramatic visual language using rhythm, movement, and body language to create a cinematic equivalent to oral poetry. Aneta, an immigrant from Israel, is passionate, fearless and expressinve and works hard at developing her poetry. As she prepared to be one of the first ASL poets in a spoken-word slam she met Tahani Salah, a Palestinian spoken word poet. The two young women embark on a collaboration, creating a new form of slam poetry that transcends politics.

Utilizing high energy music, animated graphic text and other innovative techniques, DEAF JAM illuminates ASL poetry’s extraordinary potency and power. Taking us inside a fascinating and vibrant world where self-expression and cultural identity are fiercely pursued, DEAF JAM may change the way we think about the non-hearing world forever. We encourage you not to miss this film opportunity.

Before the film the audience will have a chance to met some Islanders who know ASL who may lead the group to sign several concepts. ASL is not a signed version of English but is manual and visual, with information conveyed with the shape and movement of the hands and other parts of the body and with facial expressions. It is our hope that a brief introduction to this form of communication will enhance appreciation of the film. After the film there will be an opportunity for discussion.

Those attending will also have the opportunity to experience poetry in another art form by islander Thomas H. Pruiksma. Tom is a poet, magician, writer, translator, teacher, musician, and lover of life. When he is not reading or writing, he is performing what he callls "The Poet’s Magic," combining poetry with the art of illusion. (See www.thepoetsmagic.com) It will also be interesting to talk with Tom about his response to DEAF JAM as a poet. We hope that we will hear from many more poets and poet lovers.

Community Cinema Vashon is hosted by We All Belong - FREE film & discussion, a project of Welcome Vashon. For more information you can contact: ccnw.tv (Community Cinema Pacific NW), communitycinema.org, itvs.org, vashonmovienews.blogspot.com (Vashon Movie News) and jane.e.berg@gmail.com or 567-4532.