In recent years, audiences have been seeing more and more deaf characters portrayed in films. At the same time, many of the characters are played by actual deaf actors, a nice step forward in terms of representation. It is refreshing to see deaf actors landing these roles and making achievements for the deaf community. Apple TV+ released CODA, a film focusing on the only hearing person in a deaf family, and the movie has received much acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The term CODA, or "child of deaf adults, : is a very thought-provoking idea for a film and was brilliantly performed on screen. CODA proved to be a massive hit and won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2022.

Films focusing on deaf individuals give us a glimpse into the community while creating a very captivating narrative. Movies like Sound Of Metal also show the struggles that individuals can have if they suddenly start to lose their hearing. At the same time, these films show us that deaf individuals can lead fulfilling lives and can easily communicate through ASL (sign language). The success of films like CODA will certainly pave the way for more movies focusing on deaf individuals played by deaf actors. Let’s dive into Apple TV+’s film CODA, as well as nine other movies with deaf and hard-of-hearing characters that deserve to be known.

Update September 27, 2023: This list has been updated by Amira Abdel-Fadil with even more great films that feature deaf lead characters.

11 CODA (2021)

Ruby gives the love sign out the car window in CODA
Apple TV+

CODA is a film that zooms in on what it means to be a child of deaf adults. The film focuses on Ruby (Emilia Jones), who is the only hearing member of her deaf family. After Ruby gets a chance to pursue her music career at Berkley, she is conflicted about abandoning her family and chasing her dreams. The film's cast includes deaf actors, including the talented Marlee Matlin. It is an endearing drama that features strong performances while showcasing the struggles and conflicts of a hearing child living in a deaf family.

10 La Famille Bélier (2014)

 Karin Viard and  François Damiens in La Famille Bélier

CODA is actually a remake of La Famille Bélier. The French movie features a similar plot as it is about a young woman who lives with her father, mother, and brother, all of whom are deaf. They also own a farm. As a result, they rely on her to help them communicate with the outside world. What they didn't know is that their daughter has a beautiful singing voice, one which her music teacher greatly admires to the point of offering her to sit an entrance exam for the vocal elite choir in Pairs (The Maîtrise de Radio France).

However, with this news on the one hand and their dependency on the other, some new tension is birthed. Now, the gifted singer is faced with a moral dilemma that is pulling at her heartstrings and ours. It serves as an interesting contrast to CODA and shows the difference in culture but also the universal nature of the theme.

9 A Quiet Place (2018)

A Quiet Place cast
Paramount Pictures

A Quiet Place was a monumental achievement when it comes to horror films. John Krasinski's acclaimed film focuses on a family living in a world that is ravaged by deadly aliens who are drawn to sound. As a result, the slightest sound can result in death. Millicent Simmonds plays Regan Abbot, the deaf daughter of the family, and the fact that she cannot hear plays a vital role in the plot.

Related: Eternals Star Lauren Ridloff Shares Thoughts on Becoming Marvel's First Deaf Superhero

It should also be noted that Simmonds is actually deaf in real life, making her character all the more believable. Lee (Krasinski) spends a good portion of the film trying to create a device to help his daughter hear. In the end, it is revealed that the device is an effective kryptonite against the aliens, bringing the story together to a full circle.

8 Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)

A tutoring session in Mr. Holland's Opus
Buena Vista Pictures

In Mr. Holland's Opus, Richard Dreyfuss plays Glen Holland, a struggling composer whose life is changed after taking a job as a music teacher at a high school. The film follows Holland's life over three decades, and along the way, Holland has a child who is completely deaf. One of the main conflicts of the film is Holland, whose passion is music, trying to relate to his deaf son, Cole. Cole is played by three different actors, all whom were actually deaf. Holland and his son find ways to build their relationship by finding ways to communicate the world of music through color and vibrations, proving that even deaf individuals can learn to love music.

7 Sound Of Metal (2020)

The Star of Sound of Metal
Amazon Studios

Sound of Metal is a journey into the life of a hard rock drummer, Ruben (Riz Ahmed), who must learn to adapt after suddenly losing his hearing. The focus of the film is on Ruben's inability to accept his fate until the very end of the movie. Through the sound editing, and Ahmed's performance, we are shown what it truly feels like to lose your hearing. At the same time, we learn how deaf individuals can give back to their community by working with deaf youths.

Paul Raci, who was a child of deaf adults, gives a brilliant supporting performance as Joe, a deaf man trying to help Ruben prosper in his new life. Ahmed gives possibly his best performance to date, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

6 It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004)

Paul Kaye in It's All Gone Pete Tong
Matson Films

It's All Gone Pete Tong shines a light on Frankie Wilde, a famous DJ who is based in Ibiza, who gradually starts losing his hearing. In this compelling drama, Wilde must grapple with the loss and accept this new reality. In this narrative, you'll delve into how he handles this new phase of his life and how he uses time away to muster the courage to enter the music scene again but with a fresh perspective and a new spirit. Paul Kaye gives an amazing performance as Frankie Wilde in this original film.

5 The Tribe (2014)

Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi's film The Tribe
Arthouse Traffic

The Tribe is a Ukrainian crime drama focusing on a group of deaf teenagers in a Ukrainian boarding school. The film is gritty and authentic as it focuses on the main character's progression into a life of crime. The Tribe showcases many brutal topics, including robbery, violence, and prostitution.

Related: Best Apple TV + Shows, Ranked

One of the most original aspects of the film is that the characters communicate through Ukrainian sign language with no subtitles shown on the screen. This was an interesting artistic choice that paid off due to the fine performances of the actors. The film was well-received by audiences and critics alike and currently has an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

4 Hush (2016)

Kate Siegel in Hush with killer behind her
Netflix 

Hush is a slasher film that focuses on Maddie (Kate Siegel), a deaf character who is being stalked by a killer (John Gallagher Jr.) The film is a terrifying glimpse into what a home invasion would be like for someone with no hearing. The movie is filled with suspense from beginning to end, and both Siegal and Gallagher Jr. give fine performances.

It is refreshing to see deaf characters portrayed in horror films, and the concept gives a thought-provoking twist to the genre. In the end, Maddie proves that even though she lacks hearing, she is still able to defend herself against a ruthless killer. Hush is currently streaming on Netflix.

3 A Silent Voice (2016)

A Silent Voice by Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation

One of the most delicate anime movies of all time, A Silent Voice, delves into the painful inner world of Shôko Nishimiya, who gets bullied at school for her impaired hearing. When her classmate's cruelty becomes unbearable, she moves to another school. Years later, one of her meanest bullies, Shôya Ishid, realizes how horrible his actions have been and sets out on a path of redemption, hoping Shôko will forgive him for his wrongdoings. The film portrays topics such as depression, suicide, the past, and how it affects the present. Both heart-wrenching and heart-warming, A Silent Voice is an empathetic character study with gorgeous animations that are ethereal.

2 Children of a Lesser God (1986)

A scene from Children of a Lesser God Starring Marlee Matlin
Paramount Pictures

Oscar-winning film Children of a Lesser God zooms in on a skilled teacher who starts a new position in a school where students are deaf. He is responsible for improving their speech skills. However, upon his journey, he notices the school's cleaner, who is also deaf and chooses not to speak. Sad at her choice, as he sees great potential in her, he tries to change her mind in hopes of letting him work with her on her speech. Doing so proves to be difficult, and when romantic feelings get thrown into the mix, the dynamic of the student-teacher relationship becomes more complicated.

Although it was Marlee Matlin's acting debut, she gives a stellar performance and offers the viewer a captivating and different visual language from the norm. The film also portrays how not being able to express one's pent-up emotions can have really detrimental effects. Authentic, moving Children of a Lesser God is a film about uncovering all the layers individuals build to protect themselves and allow a space for vulnerability, connection, and compromise.

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