The Silent Child: A Must See - review of Oscar-winning film

The winner of the Best Live Action Short Film breaks the silence on the widespread ignorance surrounding deafness, particularly with children, and highlights the importance of sign language.

It centres around a profoundly deaf four year old girl named Libby who is born into a middle class family and lives in a world of silence until a caring social worker teaches her the gift of communication.

It is upsetting to watch the young character, played by five-year-old Maisie Sly, who is partially deaf herself, be labelled as unintelligent and incapable because she cannot hear. It is even more distressing considering it may be a reality for many children across the country.

The young blonde-haired star is captivating in her debut role which she performed with ease and grace. The same could be said for writer and former Hollyoaks actress, Rachel Shenton, who plays the part of the kind-hearted social worker and who the viewer immediately warms to. Her bright red coat makes her a figure of hope in an otherwise dreary world.

A particularly memorable scene is when there is no sound despite being able to see several characters are talking, letting the viewer step into Libby's frustrating shoes.

The film is beautifully shot, with stunning shots of English countryside adding to the thoughtful atmosphere.

Cannock director, Chris Overton, has completed a truly awe-inspiring directorial debut.

The film already had over 20 well-deserved awards and now it has a prestigious 21st.

It is a thorough insight into a topic rarely touched upon and its powerful message stays with viewers, invoking a desire to make a change.

It is more than worthy of the Oscar.

To stay updated with the upcoming screenings of the film, visit the events section of The Silent Child Film Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pg/TheSilentChildFilm/events/?ref=page_internal

There is a showing at The Electric Cinema in Birmingham next Wednesday (March 14) from 7.30pm.