‘Deaf President Now!’ Review: Spirited Doc Communicates Why a Turning Point for Deaf Rights Still Matters
variety.comPeter Debruge Chief Film Critic The “now” in “Deaf President Now!” refers to the second week of March 1988 — when the students of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., united in protest of the board’s choice of a non-deaf candidate to lead the school.
But the activism depicted is still relevant to identity-centric struggles today. For 124 years, the school had operated under an ableist set of assumptions, treating deaf and hard of hearing people as needing “help” from patronizing outsiders.
But in the seven days depicted here, the students took charge, teaching their elders — and anyone who would listen — not to underestimate them.
A collaboration between deaf actor-advocate Nyle DiMarco and “An Inconvenient Truth” director Davis Guggenheim, the propulsive nonfiction story feels as inspirational as any scripted feature, reuniting the four Gallaudet grads who organized the movement to describe events in their own words — words of passion, dynamically signed on-screen and spoken aloud by unseen actors.
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