The Silent Child | Oscar® Winning Short Film
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1:00 What times cello tonight? What times
1:00 cello tonight? Six. Six. Oh god,
1:02 you'll have to run him Paul Pip has ballet at 5:30,
1:04 I can't split myself in two. Oh god,
1:02 you'll have to run him Paul Pip has ballet at 5:30,
1:04 I can't split myself in two. Yeah okay,
1:06 chill, that's fine. Yeah okay, chill,
1:06 that's fine. It sounds so weird when old people say
1:08 "chill". It sounds so weird
1:08 when old people say "chill". Charming.
1:10 Charming. What time is the 'help' arriving? What time is
1:11 the 'help' arriving? Joanne is arriving
1:13 at- Joanne is arriving at- Yeah,
1:15 it's time to go grab your bags please. Yeah,
1:15 it's time to go grab your bags please. Oh god she's early.
1:18 Paul can you go to the door
1:19 and take Libby with you? Oh god she's early.
1:18 Paul can you go to the door and take Libby with you? I'm
1:21 leaving now I'm already late. I'm
1:21 leaving now I'm already late. Oh hi.
1:23 I was just about to knock, I'm Joanne. Oh hi.
1:23 I was just about to knock,
1:24 I'm Joanne. Yes- Suzanne, she'll be down in a minute-
1:25 Yes- Suzanne, she'll be down in a minute- Thanks
1:28 for helping us out, we have quite low expectations.
1:28 Thanks for helping us out, we have quite low expectations.
1:32 We just wanted her to be a little bit
1:35 more confident in time for school. We just wanted
1:33 her to be a little bit more confident in time
1:35 for school. Right. Right. Anyway
1:38 Anyway She has a hearing aid,
1:45 but she won't wear it. She has a hearing aid,
1:45 but she won't wear it. And I'm assuming there's
1:47 no history of deafness on yours or your husband's side?
1:47 And I'm assuming there's no history of deafness on yours
1:48 or your husband's side? No we only found out
1:51 she was deaf when she was 3 and a half-
1:50 No we only found out she was deaf when
1:51 she was 3 and a half- Which probably makes
1:54 me a bloody awful mother but- Which probably makes me
1:54 a bloody awful mother but- Because she had a bit
1:56 of hearing in her left ear that was overcompensating-
1:55 Because she had a bit of hearing in her left
1:57 ear that was overcompensating-
1:58 Apparently that's common? Apparently that's
1:58 common? You're not an awful mother it's very common-
1:59 You're not an awful mother it's very common- And you
2:02 said she didn't qualify for a cochlear implant? And you
2:02 said she didn't qualify for a cochlear implant? No,
2:04 which was a real blow. No, which was a real blow. And what's
2:06 her communication like does she know
2:07 any sign language or- And what's
2:06 her communication like does she know any
2:07 sign language or- [car horn] Is
2:09 it just lip reading? [car horn] Is
2:09 it just lip reading? Just lip
2:10 reading. Just lip reading. And her speech?
2:11 And her speech? Not good. Not good.
2:14 Well I'll probably start with a combination
2:15 of speech and- Well I'll probably
2:14 start with a combination of speech
2:16 and- Sign language just to see
2:17 where she's at- Sign language just
2:17 to see where she's at- A lot
2:18 of children respond really well to sign,
2:19 because it's less frustrating. A lot
2:18 of children respond really well to sign,
2:19 because it's less frustrating. I can't see
2:21 that being the case, Libby follows what we're saying
2:23 really well. I can't see that being the case,
2:22 Libby follows what we're saying really well. Right,
2:24 well I'm sure she'll be fine then. Right,
2:24 well I'm sure she'll be fine
2:26 then. [car horn] [car horn] Stop you
2:28 idiot. I'm on the phone. Stop
2:28 you idiot. I'm on the phone. Okay, so make yourself at home,
2:32 sit down if you like- Okay, so make yourself at home,
2:32 sit down if you like- Libby
2:34 there's someone here to see you- Libby
2:34 there's someone here to see you-
2:36 Libby can I have the remote please?
2:36 Libby can I have the remote
2:37 please? Libby! Libby! [Libby screams] Libby can
2:42 I have the remote? [Libby screams] Libby
2:42 can I have the remote? She's usually
2:45 happy when she's watching TV- She's
2:45 usually happy when she's watching TV- She
2:48 can be very difficult, we don't even
2:50 know what's wrong with her. She can
2:48 be very difficult, we don't even
2:50 know what's wrong with her. Is there
2:52 any pattern to that happening? Is there
2:52 any pattern to that happening? Oh no,
2:54 you know what they're like at this age- Oh no,
2:54 you know what they're like at this age- My other
2:56 two were the same. My other two were the same. Mum,
2:57 my exam starts in 25 minutes. Mum,
2:57 my exam starts in 25 minutes.
2:58 Yes I'm coming- Yes I'm coming- Seb's
2:59 got his G.C.S.E's and he got
3:01 A*'s in his mocks- Seb's got his G.C.S.E's
3:00 and he got A*'s in his mocks- So I better not make him
3:03 late- So I better not make
3:02 him late- You've got my mobile number,
3:05 I'll be back in a few hours to see how you got on- You've
3:04 got my mobile number, I'll be back in a few hours to see
3:06 how you got on- You'll be
3:08 brilliant- You'll be brilliant- Bye Libby darling.
3:08 Bye Libby darling. Can I play? Can
3:47 I play? Let me show you something,
3:53 you'll like it. Let me show you something,
3:53 you'll like it. Your mums here.
4:11 Your mums here. How's it been? How's
4:12 it been? Yeah good. Yeah good. I
4:14 told you she was quiet I told
4:15 you she was quiet Does she ever
4:17 interact? Does she ever interact? Yeah she
4:18 follows what we're saying really well- Yeah
4:18 she follows what we're saying really well-
4:21 Trust me when Libby's unhappy you'll
4:23 know about it. Trust me when Libby's
4:22 unhappy you'll know about it. I think
4:24 I'll just try her with some more
4:26 interactive stuff- I think I'll just try
4:25 her with some more interactive stuff- I've
4:27 got quite a few books that I think would be useful, there's actually a.
4:27 I've got quite a few books that I
4:27 think would be useful, there's actually a.
4:28 Hello? Hello? I've literally just walked in, can
4:32 I call you back in 5 minutes- I've literally
4:31 just walked in, can I call you back
4:32 in 5 minutes- I'm really sorry. I'm really sorry. Sorry,
4:41 that was Paul's mum she's a bloody nuisance. Sorry,
4:41 that was Paul's mum she's a bloody nuisance. Oh it's fine,
4:45 I'll just bring some stuff to try her with tomorrow- Oh it's fine,
4:45 I'll just bring some stuff to try
4:46 her with tomorrow- Does she like the park? Does
4:48 she like the park? Well I haven't taken
4:49 her since she was tiny but I'm sure
4:51 she'd love it- Well I haven't taken
4:49 her since she was tiny but I'm sure she'd
4:51 love it- It's only 5 minutes away. It's
4:53 only 5 minutes away. Yeah I saw it, great. Yeah I saw it,
4:54 great. Thanks Joanne. Thanks
4:55 Joanne. Okay bye. Okay bye.
5:51 Are you moving in? Are you moving in? They're
5:52 for Libby. They're for Libby. She's inside with Sue,
5:54 she's in a good mood- She's inside with Sue,
5:54 she's in a good mood- Libby I mean. Sue's
5:57 never in a good mood. Libby I mean. Sue's
5:57 never in a good mood.- Hey!- Oh hey.- Hey!-
6:00 Oh hey. Hey Libby, oh sorry the door was open.
6:09 Hey Libby, oh sorry the door was open.
6:12 Looks like you're going to have a busy
6:13 day- Looks like you're going to have
6:13 a busy day- I'm so sorry I've got
6:15 to shoot off again- I'm so sorry I've
6:15 got to shoot off again- I've got
6:16 to take Paul's mum to the hospital. I've
6:16 got to take Paul's mum to the hospital.
6:17 Oh no worries. Oh no worries. Bye Libs,
6:19 you be good. Bye Libs, you be good. See you
6:20 later. See you later. Bye. Bye.
6:53 What's that? What's that? Milk. Milk.
6:59 Orange Juice. Orange Juice. So what's
7:02 that? So what's that? Want to go to the park and feed
7:10 the ducks? Want to go to the park and feed the ducks? You
7:13 know ducks- You know ducks- Ducks.
7:16 Ducks. Let's pack a bag, where is your bag? Let's pack
7:23 a bag, where is your bag? Orange.
7:27 Orange. You want orange juice? You
7:34 want orange juice? Let's get you
7:43 some orange juice then. Let's get
7:42 you some orange juice then. Finished, I'm full. Finished,
9:03 I'm full. You're Full? You're Full? You won't want any
9:07 sweets then? You won't want any sweets then? What sweets?
9:08 What sweets? That's my favourite.
9:13 That's my favourite. Your favourite?
9:15 Your favourite? Mine too. Mine
9:19 too. I just wondered how she'll
9:37 get on with the sign language at school? I just
9:36 wondered how she'll get on with the sign language at school?
9:40 How'd you mean? How'd you mean? Well I'm not sure
9:43 that many people know it? Well I'm not sure that many
9:43 people know it? Well she'd need to have an interpreter
9:47 sat with her and extra support- Well she'd need
9:46 to have an interpreter sat with her and extra support-
9:49 and well I'm not trying to talk myself into a job
9:51 but I'd be more than happy to help. and well
9:49 I'm not trying to talk myself into a job but I'd
9:51 be more than happy to help. Right okay- Right okay-
9:55 I'm just wondering if we should focus more on the lip-reading,
9:58 rather than the sign language? I'm just wondering
9:55 if we should focus more on the lip-reading,
9:58 rather than the sign language? Well as it stands
10:00 at the moment Libby's going to struggle with speech- Well as it
10:00 stands at the moment Libby's going to struggle with speech-
10:03 So a combination of sign language and lip-reading will have
10:05 the best results. So a combination of sign language and lip-reading
10:05 will have the best results. Look I know it can
10:07 feel a bit alien but the basics are actually really easy
10:09 to learn- Look I know it can feel a bit alien
10:08 but the basics are actually really easy to learn- Might
10:10 be a nice thing to do as a family. Might be
10:10 a nice thing to do as a family. I'm just
10:12 not sure how doable that is at the moment- I'm just
10:12 not sure how doable that is at the moment- Pip
10:14 has ballet and Seb rehearses with the Midland choir three times
10:17 a week- Pip has ballet and Seb rehearses with the Midland
10:16 choir three times a week- But we'll chat about it tomorrow,
10:19 I'll talk to Paul. But we'll chat about it tomorrow,
10:19 I'll talk to Paul. Okay great- Okay great- Right.
10:23 Right. Thanks Sue. Thanks Sue. I want her to speak,
10:37 Paul. I want her to speak,
10:37 Paul. [Argument] [Argument]- Seb can you
10:56 pass me the jam please- Oh Sue,
10:58 don't forget that letter will you?- Seb can
10:56 you pass me the jam please- Oh Sue,
10:58 don't forget that letter will you? Did you ever find your leather
11:00 jacket? Did you ever find your leather jacket? Yes it was
11:02 in the office. Yes it was
11:02 in the office. Orange. Orange. She's
11:06 signing. She's signing. She's probably hungry-
11:10 Can you pass me that butter,
11:11 Seb? She's probably hungry- Can you pass me that butter,
11:11 Seb? I think it means orange juice,
11:14 Jo taught me some stuff. I think it means orange juice,
11:14 Jo taught me some stuff. Thank
11:16 you. Thank you.- That's cool- Yeah Jo's
11:19 doing a good job.- That's cool- Yeah
11:18 Jo's doing a good job. You know, however many hairstyles you try,
11:22 she's not going to go out with you. You know,
11:20 however many hairstyles you try,
11:22 she's not going to go out with you. Oh, talk of the devil. Oh,
11:24 talk of the devil. Quick,
11:25 someone give him some hair wax.- Shut up. Quick,
11:25 someone give him some hair wax.- Shut
11:27 up.- Morning.- Morning Jo.-
11:28 Morning.- Morning Jo. Hello, hello. Hello, hello. Jo,
11:31 what do you think of Seb's hair? Jo,
11:31 what do you think of Seb's hair? Yeah, it's cool. Yeah,
11:35 it's cool. Treasure. Treasure. What is it Libs?
11:45 What's she saying, television? What is it Libs?
11:45 What's she saying, television? No,
11:46 I think she wants to look for treasure so, I'll sort that out. No,
11:46 I think she wants to look for treasure so,
11:48 I'll sort that out. You want
11:50 treasure? You want treasure? Thank you.
11:55 Right so I'm on the bloody hospital
11:57 run again with Paul's mum today- Thank you.
11:55 Right so I'm on the bloody hospital run again
11:57 with Paul's mum today- I think I mentioned last night,
12:01 I'm gonna be a bit late again tonight,
12:02 more like six? I think I mentioned last night,
12:01 I'm gonna be a bit late again tonight,
12:02 more like six? Yeah that's fine- We'll have lots of fun.
12:04 Yeah that's fine- We'll have lots of fun. Fun, you,
12:07 me. Fun, you, me. Bye, Libby. Bye,
12:08 Libby. What are you drawing? What are you drawing? You,
12:23 me, holiday. You, me, holiday. Holiday?
12:25 Wow, I could do with a holiday. Holiday?
12:25 Wow, I could do with a holiday. Is
12:30 that me? Is that me? Back again, sorry,
12:43 can never leave. Back again, sorry,
12:43 can never leave. Forgot my bloody
12:45 purse. Forgot my bloody purse. Hi,
13:10 I'm Joanne- I look after Libby. Hi,
13:10 I'm Joanne- I look after Libby. Oh hello darling,
13:13 is she being good for you? Oh hello darling,
13:13 is she being good for you? Libby?
13:15 Yeah she's great, she's so bright. Libby?
13:15 Yeah she's great, she's so bright. Is she? Is
13:17 she? Do you think she'll be able to get
13:20 a job one day? Do you think she'll be able
13:20 to get a job one day? Yeah I think she'll
13:22 be able to have a career in whatever she
13:24 likes. Yeah I think she'll be able to have
13:23 a career in whatever she likes. Oh God bless
13:25 her. Oh God bless her. Her grandad was deaf you know,
13:29 from birth. Her grandad was deaf you know,
13:29 from birth. He had a job as a cleaner. He had a job
13:32 as a cleaner. I knew him.
13:34 I knew him. Really Libby's grandad? Really
13:36 Libby's grandad? Sorry do you mean
13:39 Paul's dad or Sue's dad? Sorry do you mean Paul's dad or Sue's dad?
13:42 Neither darling. Neither darling. She's not Paul's,
13:45 you know. She's not Paul's, you know. I told him he should have
13:48 left, But he never listens to his mother.
13:47 I told him he should have left,
13:49 But he never listens to his mother. Right,
13:51 well it was really nice to meet you. Right,
13:51 well it was really nice to meet you. You
13:54 too dear. You too dear.
14:02 Alright then? Alright then? Yep,
14:03 I couldn't find it but I've got my card. Yep,
14:03 I couldn't find it but I've got my card.
14:25 Found you. Found you. Easy. Easy. Oh it was easy,
14:28 that's why. Oh it was easy,
14:28 that's why. I thinking. I thinking. Thinking?
14:32 About what? Thinking?
14:32 About what? My ears are broken. My ears
14:35 are broken. I know that she's progressing,
14:46 but I'm worried- I know that she's progressing,
14:46 but I'm worried- She's learning this language that I
14:50 don't know and no one in her school will
14:51 know. She's learning this language that I don't know
14:50 and no one in her school will know. When
14:52 you have a child you want them to be
14:54 normal you want them to be perfect. When you
14:53 have a child you want them to be normal
14:55 you want them to be perfect. She is normal Sue.
14:57 She's just deaf. She is normal Sue.
14:57 She's just deaf. Look,
14:59 I know it's your area of expertise, but you must understand,
15:02 I'm Libby's mother- Look,
14:59 I know it's your area of expertise, but you must understand,
15:02 I'm Libby's mother- and I know what's best
15:04 for her. and I know what's best for her. No,
15:06 of course you know best- No,
15:06 of course you know best- It's just the schools don't
15:09 always understand deafness and you have to fight for the support,
15:11 but it is out there. It's just the schools don't
15:09 always understand deafness and you have to fight for the support,
15:11 but it is out there. I know what I'm doing Jo,
15:14 you must understand I've been a mother for a very
15:17 long time- I know what I'm doing Jo,
15:14 you must understand I've been a mother for a very long time-
15:18 I do appreciate your concern. Paul and I will arrange to go
15:21 in and see the head. I do appreciate your concern. Paul
15:20 and I will arrange to go in and see the head. I mean,
15:24 do you think we'd send her to school without
15:26 making sure everything was in place first? I mean,
15:24 do you think we'd send her to school without making sure everything
15:26 was in place first? [Phone ringing]
16:08 [Phone ringing] Hello. Hello.- Hello Joanne,
16:17 you okay?- Hello Joanne, you okay? Yeah I'm fine,
16:19 I'm on the bike, everything okay? Yeah I'm fine,
16:19 I'm on the bike, everything okay?- Just, erm.- Just,
16:22 erm. Sorry this is a difficult thing to say,
16:25 but- Sorry this is a difficult thing to say,
16:25 but- Paul and I have been talking and we
16:28 think it's best if Libby stops the sign language.
16:26 Paul and I have been talking and we think
16:29 it's best if Libby stops the sign language.- What?
16:31 Why?- What?
16:31 Why? We think that speech therapy Is a better route to take. We
16:32 think that speech therapy Is a better route to take.- I'm really sorry,
16:36 Jo.- I don't understand she was doing so well-- I'm really sorry,
16:36 Jo.- I don't understand she was doing so well-- I know.
16:39 For school it's really important that she carries on with- I know.
16:39 For school it's really important that she carries on with sign
16:42 language and gets extra support. sign
16:42 language and gets extra support.- Look,
16:43 we've talked a lot about this Jo and we've
16:45 actually been in to see the head-- Look,
16:43 we've talked a lot about this Jo
16:45 and we've actually been in to see the head-
16:47 and they had a little deaf boy a few years ago and he was absolutely
16:49 fine- and they had a little deaf boy a few years ago and he was
16:49 absolutely fine- they know what they're doing. they
16:50 know what they're doing. I'm nearly here now,
16:51 can I explain it to her, because she'll
16:52 wonder where I am. I'm nearly here now,
16:51 can I explain it to her, because
16:52 she'll wonder where I am. Okay class, open your books- Okay class,
17:24 open your books- Write the date
17:26 at the top and we'll start the spelling
17:28 test. Write the date at the top
17:27 and we'll start the spelling test. Number one,
17:31 'there'. Number one,
17:31 'there'. Number two, 'hear'. Number two,
17:36 'hear'. I love you. I love
18:20 you. I love you. I love you.