The Silent Child

Rachel Shenton, who wrote and starred in 'The Silent Child' as social worker Joanne, delivered her 2018 Oscar acceptance speech in British Sign Language to honor the deaf community the film represents. She had promised the film's young deaf star, Maisie Sly, that she would sign the speech if they won. The film won Best Live Action Short Film at the 90th Academy Awards.

It is not based on one specific real child, but it was inspired by Rachel Shenton's experiences with her father, who lost his hearing before he died. The story follows a profoundly deaf four-year-old girl named Libby (played by Maisie Sly) whose family refuses to learn sign language, and the social worker who teaches her BSL. Director Chris Overton, Shenton's husband, helmed the project.

The film uses British Sign Language (BSL), not American Sign Language, since it is a UK production. Rachel Shenton's character teaches Libby to sign in BSL, which has its own distinct grammar and vocabulary from ASL. This is significant because BSL was only legally recognized as an official language in the UK in 2022.

After its Oscar win, 'The Silent Child' became available on platforms including the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust's website and through various short-film aggregators. The runtime is approximately 20 minutes. The filmmakers also toured it through UK schools as an educational tool.