Istanbul: Screenwriter and director Omer Yildirim expressed that the research and preparation process for his award-winning short film "Silent Plan" significantly deepened his understanding of the deaf community, serving as a vital source of inspiration throughout the production.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Turkish short film follows the journey of four deaf youths selected for an experimental program that promises to enable them to hear for the first time. However, they are unexpectedly excluded from the project after years of preserving recordings of their loved ones' voices, leading to an emotional struggle over loss, identity, and belonging.
Yildirim shared his experiences at the Cinema Workshop titled "Overcoming 'Barriers' in Cinema," organized by Anadolu Academy at Anadolu's Istanbul International News Center. The event included a screening of behind-the-scenes footage from the film.
Bariskan Unal, Anadolu's Foreign and Economy News Publishing Manager, also spoke at the event, highlighting Anadolu's Eller Konusur (Hands Speak) project, which aims to provide hearing-impaired individuals with fast and accessible news coverage. Unal praised the film's portrayal of deaf characters, noting the natural integration of deaf individuals in leading roles without emphasizing disability.
Yildirim emphasized his desire for young deaf people to take center stage in the film. Before writing the screenplay, he was not personally acquainted with any deaf individuals. Through consultations with the deaf community, he learned the importance of using the term "deaf" instead of "disabled," prompting significant changes to the script.
One of the film's central themes emerged from a character's line, questioning whether people are being promised the ability to hear or a lifetime of dependence on devices. This concept, along with the idea of preserving loved ones' voices, formed the foundation of the film's narrative. Yildirim aimed to create a story that everyone could experience equally, with deaf actors appearing in 60% of the film and subtitles used during those scenes.
Adjustments were made during production to accommodate sign language communication, including careful camera framing to capture hand movements. The film's text was crafted to be simple and clear, ensuring quick and fluent translation for deaf audiences.
Tufan Aktas, Anadolu's Discrimination Line Director, discussed the importance of language in sign-language journalism and the role of the Eller Konusur project in establishing standardized sign-language equivalents for words. The workshop, translated into sign language, also featured the film's cast and crew sharing their production experiences.