Silent Odyssey Credits

Miryad Visyon

in collaboration with

National Commission on Culture and the Arts
and
Lingap-Pangarap Foundation, Inc.

presents


The Preview of
SILENT ODYSSEY

Sponsored by

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde

School Deaf Education and Applied Studies


With the special participation of

MARKKU JOKINEN
President
World Federation of the Deaf

Featuring (in order of appearance)

Catherine Joy Patriarca & The Silent Steps
Raphael Domingo
Jose Austria
Rey Alfred Lee
Racquel Corpus
Jeniffer Mendoza
Evangeline Co
Rhenierose Martin
Alvin Cagaanan
Dulaang Tahimik ng Pilipinas
Rommel Agravante
Marvin Marcial
Ana Kristina Arce
Dennis Balan
Cayetano Halili
Gia Faye Mendoza
Anna Mae Badilles
Luciano Posadas
Joseph Anthony Cocova
Jovelyn Villaer
Edmark Glenn Magarica
Feliciano Noynay
Clarice Bondoc
Robert Justiniano
Isagani Sta. Ana
Ma. Gilda Quintua
Rezel Ladera
Myra Medrana
Diana Bañas
Raymond Manding

and special performance by
Annabelle Salazar

With
(in order of appearance)

Theresa Christine Dela Torre
Carol Ui
Rev. Elena Castillo
Dr. Edwin Decenteceo
Sis. Mary Ann Soria
Rev. Aimee Ada Coryell
Priscilla Agravante
Dr. Yolanda Capulong
Perlita Alorro
Dr. Cecilio Pedro
John Xandre Baliza
Dr. Ricardo Nolasco
Febe Sevilla
Prof. Therese Bustos
Nicky Templo-Perez
Simeona Ebol
Fr. Luke Moortgat
Joebert Alberto
Rhodora Tadena
Shela Rosales
Sarah Sta. Ana
Licel Jane Omictin
Wea Gutierrez
Dr. Belen Calingacion

Special appearance
Hon. ALBERTO ROMULO
Minister of Foreign Affairs

LAURO PURCIL, Jr.
Chairman
National Committee on the UN Convention

PRODUCTION STAFF

Chanting
ROSELLE PINEDA

Choreography
MYRA MEDRANA (Deaf)

Sign language field interpretation
RAPHAEL DOMINGO (Deaf)
AGNES DIZON

Sign language interpretation / transcription
RAPHAEL DOMINGO (Deaf)
PATRICK BRYAN ABLAZA (Deaf)

Voice interpretation
FEBE SEVILLA

Oral interview transcription
KATRINA BIANCA CRUZ

Camera assistant
JANUS VICTORIA

Production assistants
JOJO SIA, JR.
AGNES DIZON

Assistant to the Editor / Subtitling
RITWIC BHUNJUN

Caption editing / Filipino into English translations
MAYITA SUBIDO

Research, Script and Editing
MIRANAMEDINA

Camera
DENNIS BALAN (Deaf)
MIRANAMEDINA
MARK JOSEPH CALBAY (Deaf)
JOSEPH LENA

Sound Engineer
BERT DE SANTOS

Music
ALWYN CRUZ

Consultant
Dr. BELEN CALINGACION

Produced and Directed by
MIRANAMEDINA

Silent Odyssey Synopsis

SILENT ODYSSEY—a journey into the Deaf world—brings out the Filipino Deaf's sentiments towards the hearing society, chronicles the significant and pioneering efforts of different institutions and personages in Philippine Deaf history and touches on important and current issues on Deaf education. It introduces the word "audism" (Deaf oppression)—a not-yet-so-popularly used term in the Filipino Deaf community; takes a glimpse at the 15th World Federation of the Deaf Congress in Spain with the theme "Human Rights Through Sign Language" and the celebration of the entry into force in the Philippines of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The film also focuses on some of Deaf achievers who are worthy of emulation by the Filipino Deaf youth and presents the World Federation of Deaf President Markku Jokinen's views on oralism, use of hearing aids and importance of sign language to the Deaf. Most importantly, the film takes a close look at the Filipino Sign Language (FSL)—its probable origin, uniqueness, present status vis-à-vis other sign systems and its importance as index to the cultural identity of the Filipino Deaf as a cultural-linguistic minority group.

The journey leads to a realization that the Deaf are disabled and impaired by society's failure to understand and accept their language and culture as an ethnic group, disregarding their cultural needs as Deaf persons by not providing the bridge of communication which aggravates their linguistic isolation. That "Deaf can" is no illusion but a reality which can shame those who think of themselves as superior just because they can hear.

Silent Odyssey Premier

Premiere showing on September 20, 2008, 4 p.m. at the UP Film Center Theater (Cine Adarna) sponsored by DLS-CSB SDEAS and UP Special Education Council.

Proceeds of the film will go to the Deaf Scholarship Fund of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. DLS-CSB SDEAS hopes that through Silent Odyssey, more people will be encouraged to study Filipino Sign Language (FSL) and to inspire educators to become teachers for the Deaf.

Interested parties may contact Noemi Jara at Tel. No. 526-7441 local 239 Mobile 0927-2246584, silentodyssey@gmail.com, or sdeas.opd@gmail.com.

SILENT ODYSSEY:
FIRST FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY FILM
ON FILIPINO DEAF CULTURE

Please come to the press preview of The First Feature-Length Documentary Film on Filipino Deaf Culture SILENT ODYSSEY by Miranamedina on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, 3:30 p.m. at the PEN-International Multimedia Learning Center of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (DLS-CSB SDEAS).

ABOUT THE FILM

SILENT ODYSSEY documents the journey of filmmaker Miranamedina with Deaf people by bringing to the hearing society the sentiments, history, language and culture of the Filipino Deaf.

With the persistence of negative stigma regarding Persons With Disabilities (PWD) and the myth that the Deaf are dumb, the call for an advocacy film for Deaf people becomes more urgent especially now that the Philippines ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities on April 15, 2008.

SILENT ODYSSEY features more than 40 members of the Filipino Deaf community, educators, missionaries and service providers to the Deaf with the special participation of Markku Jokinen, World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) President.

SILENT ODYSSEY (110 minutes, subtitles in English) is a production of Miryad Visyon in cooperation with the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Lingap-Pangarap Foundation, Inc.