The Past

Middle aged sisters Mimi and Martha still live together. In fact, Martha still cooks, cleans and oversees Mimi’s life, afraid that her deaf sister cannot cope on her own. Mimi, in turn, hides behind a veneer of make-up and wigs to avoid confronting her non-starter life. But everything is not what it seems...

An aspiring classical pianist loses his hearing and, with the help of those closest to him, must find the strength to play again. . .

Two business executives--one an avowed misogynist, the other recently emotionally wounded by his love interest--set out to exact revenge on the female gender by seeking out the most innocent, uncorrupted girl they can find and ruining her life.

Starting his new job as an instructor at a New England school for the deaf, James Leeds meets Sarah Norman, a young deaf woman who works at the school as a member of the custodial staff. In spite of Sarah's withdrawn emotional state, a romance slowly develops between the pair.

Golden boys, teen lust, self-conscious dolls, chance encounters, a vengeful creature, holiday romance, hidden sexuality — Boys On Film celebrates it's (not so) sweet sixteen with an astonishing selection of the latest international gay short films. Volume 16: Possession features ten complete films: Kai Stänicke's "Golden" with Christian Tesch and Maximilian Gehrlinger; Christopher Manning's "Jamie" starring Sebastian Christophers and Raphael Verrion; Kai Stänicke's "B." starring Susanne Bormann and Andreas Jähnert; Blake Mawson's "PYOTR495" starring Alex Ozerov; Charlie Francis's "When A Man Loves A Woman" starring Tommy Jay Brennan, Jemima Spence, and Diane Brooks Webster; Anthony Schatteman's "Follow Me" starring Ezra Fieremans and Maarten Ketels; Jake Graf's "Chance" starring 'ABS' and Clifford Hume; Andrew Keenan-Bolger's "Sign" starring John McGinty and Preston Sadleir; Oliver Mason's "Away With Me" starring Chris Polick and Lee Knight; and "We Could Be Parents" by Björn Elgerd.

A chronicle of the life of infamous classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven and his painful struggle with hearing loss. Following Beethoven's death in 1827, his assistant, Schindler, searches for an elusive woman referred to in the composer's love letters as "immortal beloved." As Schindler solves the mystery, a series of flashbacks reveal Beethoven's transformation from passionate young man to troubled musical genius.

A loving mother strives to make her young son's singing dreams come true but an audition takes a dramatic, unforeseen turn.

When an ostrich-rancher focuses on replacing his daughter's hearing aid, which breaks right before crucial exams, everything changes for a struggling rural family in Iran. Karim motorbikes into a world alien to him - incredibly hectic Tehran, where sudden opportunities for independence, thrill and challenge him. But his honor and honesty, plus traditional authority over his inventive clan, are tested, as he stumbles among vast cultural and economic gaps between his village nestled in the desert, and a throbbing international metropolis.

The year’s most spectacular Live Action short films.

In a picturesque Guangxi village, deaf Wang Jiakuan falls for Zhu Ling, who is already in love with someone else. Cai Yuzhen, visiting to find her brother, stays with Wang Jiakuan and falls for him. Zhu Ling, pregnant and locked in her room, is discovered by villagers who also learn Cai Yuzhen is mute. Heartbroken, Wang Jiakuan leaves but returns, and Zhu Ling tries to match him with Cai Yuzhen.

Elderly Dastaguir and his newly deaf 5-year-old grandson Yassin hitchhike and walk, but mostly walk, as they make their way to the coal mine where Dastaguir's son Murad works. Dastaguir must tell Murad that the rest of their family were all killed in a recent bomb attack.

Nine-year-old Frankie and his single mum Lizzie have been on the move ever since Frankie can remember, most recently arriving in a seaside Scottish town. Wanting to protect her deaf son from the truth that they've run away from his father, Lizzie has invented a story that he is away at sea on the HMS Accra. Every few weeks, Lizzie writes Frankie a make-believe letter from his father, telling of his adventures in exotic lands. As Frankie tracks the ship's progress around the globe, he discovers that it is due to dock in his hometown. With the real HMS Accra arriving in only a fortnight, Lizzie must choose between telling Frankie the truth or finding the perfect stranger to play Frankie's father for just one day...

After years of hospitalization for alcoholism, a techno musician makes her son swear to never let her spend the rest of her life in an institution. When her doctors diagnose her with permanent brain damage, 20-year-old Adam, who is deaf and completely on his own, must decide whether to break his promise or help her die...

Metal drummer Ruben begins to lose his hearing. When a doctor tells him his condition will worsen, he thinks his career and life is over. His girlfriend Lou checks the former addict into a rehab for the deaf hoping it will prevent a relapse and help him adapt to his new life. After being welcomed and accepted just as he is, Ruben must choose between his new normal and the life he once knew.

A young man, born deaf, invents a computer so he can hear and speak with others.

Nora spends her time feeling sorry for herself as she faces hearing problems and blindness. But at the Bennington Christmas Pageant, Nora receives a special gift - a sure knowledge that Jesus Christ lives and loves her.

A late-night encounter on a New York City street leads to a profound connection between a teen-in-need and a DeafBlind man.

Beyond Silence is about a family and a young girl’s coming of age story. This German film looks into the lives of the deaf and at a story about the love for music. A girl who has always had to translate speech into sign language for her deaf parents yet when her love for playing music grows strong she must decide to continue doing something she cannot share with her parents.

ADAM IS A CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENT WHO, AFTER LIVING HIS ENTIRE LIFE UNDER THE SHADOW OF HIS FATHER, IS ABOUT TO TAKE HIS FATHER'S TITLE OF THE YOUNGEST CONCERTIST IN HIS COUNTRY. BUT A SPONTANEOUS ILLNESS THREATENS TO LEAVE HIM WITHOUT HEARING AND TOGETHER WITH HIS BEST FRIEND, LUCHO, HE MUST DECIDE BETWEEN HIS HEALTH AND HIS GOAL OF BEATING HIS FATHER. ADAM SHOULD EVALUATE HIS PRIORITIES AND UNDERSTAND THAT HIS MUSIC AND PASSION REACHES BEYOND HIS RIVALRY WITH HIS FATHER.

Angela's deafness raises concerns during her pregnancy regarding connecting with her daughter. Post-delivery, partner Héctor supports her as she learns to mother in a society lacking adequate accommodations for the hearing-impaired.