Beyond Silence

A study of living with deafness, which approaches the disability through the eyes and ears of someone who can see and hear. Young Lara (Trieb) can hear fine, but both her parents are deaf, and thus somewhat reliant on her - provoking small frictions, with her stubborn-minded father in particular. Given a clarinet by her aunt, Lara takes it up eagerly, defiantly, and successfully. Cut (mid-performance) to Lara as a young adult (Testud). Her aunt now suggests she move to music college in Berlin. Thanks to rich characterisation (wonderfully acted by all concerned, the Laras especially) and Caroline Link's impressively controlled direction, the film's possessed of a quiet beauty. It tails off toward the close, but still there are some scenes to cherish (how about a deaf church congregation sign singing in unison).