Keyword Lis

A deaf boy is captivated by a red-haired girl reading a book in a park. He decides to use LIS (Italian Sign Language) to initiate an alternative way of approaching her. The short was born from a directing exercise focused on trying to tell a story without words, in three minutes, using a park as only location. It was written, directed and edited in twenty-four hours.

Due to an environmental catastrophe, the population has been forbidden to speak, as it consumes too much oxygen. Those who violate the rules will be punished with cancellation by the government. The population was forced to develop a new language system based on LIS (sign language). These changes have led to a new form of attraction to sound and noise. People are no longer words or thoughts, but sounds. Tosca lives locked up in the house with her family. She dreams of freedom and is willing to do anything to get it. To give the world a voice And you? What noise are you?

Neapolitan Hard of Hearing filmmaker Rosario Liotta explores how the Deaf community in Italy has mobilized against the outdated terms of “deaf-mute” and “deaf and dumb.” Both creative and informative, this impactful film reminds us that words matter, and change is possible.