Swinbourne’s My Song : Too many Ellens out there…

June 12, 2011 Archives

Hello All,

I wanted to thank to one blogger who recently published about the newest 24-minute drama video released on May 23, 2010 called, “My Song” by well-known Deaf British screenwriter, Charlie Swinbourne.

This film is well written by Swinbourne, excellently performed by Lara Steward, and masterly directed by William Mager. This is about deaf identity.

Ellen, as a young deaf girl in high school who are learning British Sign Language, and she was trying to find herself. This drama explicitly shows how Ellen became caught between the deaf and hearing worlds. It is powerful and it made me cry.

There are too many Ellens out there who are still searching for their own identity. Some are content with their own hearing loss, and some who aren’t. I know how it feels because I felt exactly the same as Ellen when I was 17 years old. I started to learn American Sign Language at that time. I still have old videotape of myself signing in an English order. I wanted to belong in a community who accept for who I am, and I am glad I did. I have wonderful friends and mentors who believed in me.

Just like how Ben believed in Ellen. We need to reach out and believe in Ellens out there. They needed us as well as we need them. Signed Languages are the core of the community.

As Veditz said, “As long as we have deaf people on earth, we will have signs.” –

Note to Ellens out there… don’t give up.

Best,
Amy Cohen Efron

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8 comments on “Swinbourne’s My Song : Too many Ellens out there…”

Hi Amy

That’s a really lovely review of the film – am so pleased at the response we’ve had, especially yours.

Best,

William

Thanks for sharing. I just watched the film and thought it was well made. It was brilliant, just brilliant. It even made me tear up some. I will have to share this film on my blog. I think everyone should watch it.

This is way superior to “Switched at Birth!” Fantastic!

I hope there’s a way we in the USA can see the next episodes.

I loved this. True to my heart~

Although I did not grow up with a hearing loss, rather I lost it in my early 40s, I can relate to the feeling of difference and unacceptance in the hearing world.
Ellens, I feel your pain and ask you to join in the hearing loss associations of like minded people with hearing loss and the ones who love them.

Emphasize that being deaf is not the tragedy; the tragedy is the lack of understanding people who are deaf.

[…] is our “Ellen”, and if there are more “Ellens” out there, we are HERE to embrace […]

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