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2nd International Conference on Deaf Cinema

Venue: https://www.facebook.com/hkidff/ 
Date: 2020.10.02 - 2020.10.11
Price: Free admission for the online Facebook live stream 
10th Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival and the 2nd International Conference on Deaf Cinema
 
Over the past ten years, we have continuously assembled Deaf Films all over the world. We attempt to present sign language and Deaf culture through films that tell stories of the Deaf and created by Deaf people. We do not see Deaf as disabled, but affirm that Deaf people is a community with their own language, culture and history. 
 
A decade has passed. It is time for us to review and further explore the meanings and issues of Deaf films. The 2nd International Conference on Deaf Cinema will be held concurrently with the Film Festival. Local and overseas Deaf Film Festival organizers, film workers, Deaf groups and activists will be invited to discuss and share together. 
 
10th Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival and the 2nd International Conference on Deaf Cinema will be held online. Opening Ceremony & Programme 1: Hong Kong Deaf Film and all conference sessions will be free of charge and be streaming on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/hkidff/
 
More information on 10th Hong Kong International Deaf Film Festival, please click HERE.
 
Schedule of conference sessions
3/10 (Sat) 11am   Conference 1: Deaf Film as a form of social engagement and advocacy of the Deaf
3/10 (Sat) 7pm     Conference 2: Sustainbility of Deaf Film Festival
4/10 (Sun) 11am  Conference 3: Deafhood and Deaf Film
4/10 (Sun) 7pm    Conference 4: How film making as a career for the Deaf, Deaf Televisions and distribution
 
Sign language, Cantonese and English interpretation will be provided for all conference sessions. Click the link here to join us at the conference: https://www.facebook.com/hkidff/
 
 
Conference 1: Deaf Film as a form of social engagement and advocacy of the Deaf
3/10 (Sat) 11am
 
Moderator: Amy Lau (President of Hong Kong Assoication for the Deaf)
 
Speaker:
Charlie Ainsworth (The Angry Deaf People representative)
Jason Wong (Local Deaf director)
 
More about the speakers:
Charlie Ainsworth (Founder, Angry Deaf People Productions) is an American Deaf filmmaker with a speciality in screenwriting. He founded Angry Deaf People Productions in 2018 as a response to the collective anger of the Deaf community over constant misrepresentation and underrepresentation of the Deaf people and our signed language in the film industry. The goal of the company is to produce works by the Deaf people. So far, Charlie has produced five films and directed and wrote four films. The films include: "The Pastman," "Life, Captioned," "Snowball, "How To Caption Your Movie," and "Hamburger Airplane." His films have won some awards including two best actress awards and one best "how to" film. He currently has several upcoming projects in the works. Follow him and his works on Angry Deaf People Productions social media accounts for updates.
 
Jason Wong, HKPA Youth Arts Festival 2019 Youth Artists Awards (Open) honouree, Jason specialises in strong beat hip-hop, sign dance, jazz dance and K-Pop. He has been actively participating in various performances and competitions, collaborating with different local and international artists. Apart from accepting various local and overseas media interviews, he was also involved in the production of Hong Kong's first Sign Dancing Movie ‘Lighting Dance of Silence’. In 2014, Jason went to study at the Broadway Dance Center in New York to improve his dance techniques. After returning to Hong Kong, Jason has been actively promoting ‘Mute Dance’, and formed ‘Fun Forest Deaf Dance Crew’ (Fun Forest) with a group of dancing enthusiasts with hearing impairment in 2010. Jason is committed to promoting the Deaf culture. Fun Forest has participated in a variety of dance activities and performances, and was awarded in various competitions, such as ‘Free Your Dream Power! Dream Stage 2016’, ‘Cross All Borders 2017’. Also, Jason had the honour of being one of the Ten Regeneration Warriors of Regeneration Society in 2016.
 
 
Conference 2: Sustainbility of Deaf Film Festival
 
3/10 (Sat) 7pm
 
Moderator: Amy Lau (President of Hong Kong Assoication for the Deaf)
 
Speaker:
Ylva Björklund and Gunilla Wågström Lundqvist (Dövfilmfestival representative)
Zheng xiaosan (Shanghai Deaf Film Festival representative)
 
More about the speakers:
Ylva Björklund and Gunilla Wågström Lundqvist (Founders of Stockholm Deaf Film Festival) It all got started in 1999 when Gunilla and Ylva meet for the first time. United by their passion for art and films they decided to try to fill this huge gap of cultural events for Deaf people with support from the Stockholm Deaf Association.
The preparations started and during the spring of 2000 the making of Deaf filmfestival became more and more clear. Six month later, the third weekend in November 2000 Deaf filmfestival was released and became a major success.
After this, we’ve arranged this filmfestival another nineteen times. And last fall was our 20th anniversary. This is making us the oldest filmfestival for Deaf and the one to have been arranged most times. During these years we´ve shown over 200 deaf films in all different categories, short films, feature films and documentaries from all over the world.

Zheng Xiaosan (Sam), the founder of the Shanghai International Deaf Film Festival, is a Shanghai deaf film producer and animator. With the cooperation of a deaf-based team, including deaf actors and photographers, he became the first Chinese deaf director to win an international award. In 2006, he graduated from the Special Education College of Zhengzhou University of Engineering and Technology (Zhongzhou University). It is the only four higher education institution in China that admits deaf students. Sam entered the ancient architecture painting major and obtained a college degree. Sam has worked in the creative industry of art and design. In 2012, Sam entered the Shanghai Xuhui District Amateur University and the Shanghai Theater Academy Continuing Education School to jointly open the art design college upgrade. After graduating, Sam continued to study film media, taught 3D lectures, and served as a training instructor in the special education department of Shanghai Xuhui District Amateur University.Sam can use CSL, ASL, BSL and ISL. Sam is committed to expanding the influence of the deaf, using the plots of film and television and the visibility of documentaries to promote social inclusion and integration. His film and media interests represent the Deaf community including documentaries, animation, music and film biographies. As the preparatory team leader of the Film Festival, Sam actively uses this platform to encourage new and old deaf filmmakers and artists to contribute to society through the power of film and art, and to realize his film and artistic dreams. All sectors of society and mainstream media are welcome to pay attention to the Shanghai International Film and Art Festival for the Deaf, so that everyone can learn from each other and enhance understanding and social tolerance.
 
 
Conference 3: Deafhood and Deaf Film
4/10 (Sun) 11am
 
Moderator: Amy Lau (President of Hong Kong Assoication for the Deaf)
 
Speaker:
MJ Bienvenu, Ph.D. (A legndary ASL teacher and presenter)
Anthony Cheung (Local Deaf director)
 
More about the speakers: 
M.J. Bienvenu  Ph.D. Consultant, ASL and Bilingualism Consulting, LLCRetired Professor, MASLED
A legendary ASL teacher and presenter, originally from Baton Rouge, LA, MJ received her BA in English and MA in Linguistics from Gallaudet in 1974 and 1983, respectively. She received her Ph.D. specializing in Linguistics/Lexicography from Union Institute and University in 2003. She is a retired professor of the Department of ASL/Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University. MJ has conducted workshops on topics of bilingualism, ASL, Culture, empowerment, LGBT, -isms, and interpretation. 
 
Anthony Cheung Hong Kong Deaf filmmaker. Cheung has been a regular participant in the Hong Kong Festival and his films have been shown at Deaf film festivals in Britain, USA, mainland China, Taiwan etc.  In 2019 he succeeded in getting an Arts Development Council (ADC) grant to produce his latest film "Let the Chips Fall" which we are showing in the present 10th edition of the Hong Kong Deaf Film Festival. He believes that Deaf film is not just an intermediate media, but also carries emotions, stories, culture and imagination of the Deaf. All these years, he is continually promoting and supporting Deaf film. His past film works include: Whatsapp & U, Our Basketball Dream and Let the Chips Fall.
 
 
Conference 4: How film making as a career for the Deaf, Deaf Televisions and distribution
4/10 (Sun) 7pm 
 
Moderator: Amy Lau (President of Hong Kong Assoication for the Deaf)
 
Speaker:
John Wilson (Representative of British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust)
Chen Li-yu (Representative of Listening Eye, Taiwan Public Television)
 
More about the speakers: 
John Wilson is a freelance consultant working in the field of Deaf Arts and British Sign Language. He has a wide range of experience as a deaf arts practitioner, a theatre and television actor, a creative signer, and a director of numerous productions ranging from devised performances to BSL translations of Shakespeare. His work as a sign poet and performer has been well received, and John has been part of several projects both in the UK and internationally to promote creative sign through the medium of BSL. John works with several major museums and galleries across the UK, including the Tate Galleries, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, and the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. Since 2017 he has been curator of a programme of BSL tours at the Royal Academy  of Arts – the first profoundly deaf person to hold such a role. He also works as an accredited BSL guide at Hampton Court Palace and Highgate Cemetery and is a Trustee of the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust which makes films and TV for the deaf community in BSL. 
 
Chen Li-Yu is a deaf director, born in Changhua,Taiwan; raised in a deaf family with his parents and two younger brothers, they mainly communicate with Taiwan Sign Language. He was the chief executive of the Deaf Media Broadcasting Talent Training Class. In 2001, he won the 23th Brussels Independent Film Festival for the deaf with his self-written and directed video , winning proudly for Taiwan with the First Prize in Deaf Creative Video. He is currently the director of ‘Listening Eye’ by the Taiwan Public Television, and the vice executive of the Taiwan International Deaf Film Festival under the National Association of the Deaf D.O.C(Taiwan).
 
 
 
Online Facebook live streaming: https://www.facebook.com/hkidff/
 

Co-presenters: The Hong Kong Association of the Deaf, Asian People's Theatre Festival Society, Hong Kong Arts Centre, School of Creative Media - City University of Hong Kong, Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences - City University of Hong Kong
 
Partner: Centre for Community Cultural Development
 
Supported by: Hong Kong Arts Development Council

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