THE SILENT WORLD OF BARRY PRIORI
(2022)
Shining Catalina Productions Pty Ltd (SA)
Imagine being born profoundly deaf into an Italian migrant family of 10 without any means to communicate with them, let alone the ability to hold a simple conversation. Director Anne Tsoulis (From Under the Rubble, These Heathen Dreams) takes the audience into the world of the Deaf through the charismatic performer, artist and “Adelaide’s funniest Deaf guy” Barry Priori. This insightful, funny, and at times heart breaking documentary takes us on a journey that holds many surprises and revelations into the Deaf world from the 1950’s to the present day through a combination of interviews, observational footage and rare unseen archival material which offers many intimate insights into a community steeped in Deaf Pride, Culture and its own unique language, Auslan. Within the documentary Barry and close friends Deane, Katrina and Donovan recount what it was like growing up and being educated as profoundly deaf children in the hearing world during the 1950s and 1960s where Deaf children were sent away to school at two-and-a-half, and were made to speak. Their lives as teenagers and adults were profoundly changed by the shift from oralism to the increasing acceptance and teaching of Auslan, with Barry, Katrina and Donovan going on to become ground-breaking leaders and mentors in the teaching and promotion of Auslan in both the Deaf and hearing communities. The Silent World of Barry Priori aims to demystify what it is to be Deaf and presents the world of the Deaf community. Through Barry we come to understand the mechanisms the Deaf community put in place to help them navigate the hearing world, celebrate Deaf culture and gain an understanding of the local and international Deaf communities.
PRODUCER: Alison Wotherspoon (SA)
DIRECTOR: Anne Tsoulis (SA)
WRITER: Anne Tsoulis (SA)
AVAILABLE NOW ON DEMAND: ABC