The horror film genre seems to be exploding, but finding a unique spin on the genre is a difficult task. Rob Savage, director of “Dawn of the Deaf” has found just that much sought after unusual view as an inexplicable apocalypse hits a community which creates zombies of all those affected. Now that’s unusual, wouldn’t you agree?
We meet a young adult who is hearing impaired, communicating soley through the use of sign language. There’s a certain sadness deep within her eyes that we can feel, but we initially attribute it to the fact that she can’t communicate like the rest of us. Nothing could be further from the truth and there is no way that you would even begin to imagine the truth behind her eyes.
This short film is amazingly captivating and creative, taking the viewer on a roller coaster ride of emotions; from sadness and pity, to empathy and understanding, but within the last several minutes of the film, the emotions are utter rage and horror.
The story is quite complex to say the least, with several unexpected layers within the story not to mention a few twists and turns. And here is another unusual twist—several of the cast members are truly hearing impaired or deaf. In many ways, this film is a blended language film which will be thoroughly enjoyed by any horror film lover, hearing or deaf. And trust me, you’ll see this particular group in a new light thanks to this movie!
As with many short films, it has the ability to communicate so much in such a limited time frame. And again, with wonderful short films, it leaves us wanting more. Each relationship we see, the father-daughter, the mother-daughter, and the two friends, have so much more to share with us. Perhaps a full-length feature is in this film’s horizon?
Catch this film at Sundance!