THE SILENT CHILD

Review: Centres around a profoundly deaf 4 year old girl named Libby where she lives in a world of silence until a caring social worker teaches her to use sign language to communicate. Over a short period of time we see the social worker named Joanne and Libby’s relationship blossom.
Director: Chris Overton
Actors: Rachel Fielding and Rachel Shenton
Year: 2017
Genre: Drama and Short
Conclusion: 4/5
Set in rural England and one amazing really powerful true story to watch. As well as it being powerful to watch I also felt that it was an important story to tell. The director Chris Overton is really an actor and this is his first film that he has directed. His last major acting role was in the brilliant Pride, 2014. I enjoyed the cinematography and found it quite stunning which you wouldn’t think when you go through or think of Staffordshire, England. This is also a very well edited film, going from one scene to the next very quickly. Apparently Rachel Shenton wrote the film after becoming passionate about the issue of deafness when her father became deaf when she was young. I am shocked at just how much story-line is covered in just 20 minutes. Maybe if it was longer though it might not be so touching. I felt that there could have been more in the story to tell. This film has been in over 600 cinemas already just in the U.S. There must be thousands of little children in the same position which we may not realize. I have thought a lot about the film since watching it which is a sign of a good film. I felt emotionally moved by the whole plot, which also engaged the soul and mind. At the Academy Awards in 2018 this won 1 Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film. Chris Overton, Rachel Shenton and the little girl Rachel Fielding collected the award together.