{"id":88260,"date":"2025-06-12T05:20:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T05:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ccmagazine.es\/?p=88260"},"modified":"2025-06-12T05:20:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T05:20:10","slug":"sorda-motherhood-identity-and-belonging-in-silence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ccmagazine.es\/en\/sorda-motherhood-identity-and-belonging-in-silence\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cSorda\u201d: Motherhood, Identity and Belonging in Silence"},"content":{"rendered":"

Directed by Eva Libertad<\/em> and starring her sister, the deaf actress Miriam Garlo<\/em>, “Sorda”<\/strong> offers an intimate and realistic portrayal of motherhood from the perspective of a deaf woman. It\u2019s a bold and necessary cinematic proposal, especially in a landscape where the representation of hearing disability is still scarce and often stereotyped.<\/p>\n

The story was born from a conversation between the two sisters about the fears and challenges of motherhood when one is deaf. That conversation first became a short film nominated for the Goya Awards<\/em> in 2023, and later developed into a feature-length film that has earned numerous accolades, including the Golden Biznaga<\/em> at the M\u00e1laga Film Festival<\/em> and the Audience Award <\/em>at the Berlinale<\/em>.<\/p>\n

“Sorda”<\/em> resists sentimental clich\u00e9s and chooses to portray its protagonist, \u00c1ngela<\/em>, as a complex woman\u2014full of doubts, contradictions, and an overwhelming emotional depth. On a technical level, the film becomes a sensory experience, immersing the viewer in the world of a deaf person through its masterful use of sound, silence and visual storytelling.<\/p>\n

But beyond the cinematic value, “Sorda”<\/em> opens up an urgent space for reflection on accessibility, empathy and care. And at the heart of it all is Miriam Garlo<\/em>, whose personal story helps us understand the power and depth of this project.<\/p>\n

We recently interviewed Miriam Garlo, and this is what she told us. Come in and have a read.<\/u><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

You learnt Spanish Sign Language (LSE) at the age of 30, which you described as \u201cstarting to see the world in colour.\u201d How did this learning transform your personal identity and artistic career?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Learning LSE brought a radical shift in every dimension of who I am. Until then, I had normalised feeling insecure, alone, hesitant\u2014even inferior\u2014because I didn\u2019t have access to information. I could only understand things through effort, both intellectually and socially.<\/p>\n

I completed a degree, a master\u2019s and a PhD without support. I was constantly exhausted, frustrated, living in survival mode. Once sign language came into my life, I discovered my natural language\u2014one that matched my way of perceiving and thinking. It gave me energy, peace, and allowed me to enjoy learning, working and connecting with others.<\/p>\n

I also discovered the immense cultural legacy within the Deaf community, which gave me a sense of belonging. Nowadays, I\u2019m cast specifically as a deaf actress and it\u2019s understood that I require the support of an interpreter. This makes me feel much more comfortable and included, and it allows me to contribute to artistic projects that aim to improve society\u2014for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cLearning sign language was like seeing the world in colour for the first time.\u201d<\/h2>\n

In “Sorda” you play \u00c1ngela, a deaf woman facing motherhood in a predominantly hearing society. What elements of your own experience did you bring to the character, and which were entirely fictional?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Being a deaf actress, I\u2019m intimately familiar with the daily challenges of accessibility, social prejudice, and miscommunication. I also understand the emotional contradictions \u00c1ngela<\/em> goes through. That\u2019s the truthful part I brought to the role.<\/p>\n

However, from the very beginning, Eva<\/em> and I wanted to create a character very different from myself. \u00c1ngela<\/em>\u2019s personality, her reactions, decisions and the phase of life she\u2019s in\u2014none of that is me. It\u2019s entirely fiction, and that gave me creative freedom to build a different person.<\/p>\n

The film moved us deeply because of its authenticity and emotional restraint. As a deaf actress, what challenges and opportunities did you face while portraying a story so close to your own life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Working with my sister is a privilege. We have a relationship built on trust, empathy and respect. I was involved from the start\u2014I read every draft of the script, we shaped the character together, discussed her emotional arc. I was even consulted when choosing my co-star, \u00c1lvaro Cervantes<\/em>. Importantly, accessibility was considered throughout the entire production. That\u2019s rare, and it made the process safe and empowering.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking with my sister is a privilege. We have a relationship built on trust, empathy and respect.\u201d<\/h2>\n

The greatest challenge came later, during promotion. While the film was well received, it\u2019s still exhausting to face the general lack of understanding around deafness. Some questions are ill-informed or insensitive, and not all feedback is constructive.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve mentioned that you don\u2019t consider yourself a “role model” but rather a representative of a wider community. How do you see your role in the visibility of deaf people in film and culture?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I want to use this opportunity to help the Deaf community move forward\u2014because that benefits us all. I focus on creating visibility within film, theatre and the arts. I want to see Deaf characters normalised on screen\u2014not portrayed as something exotic or tokenistic.<\/p>\n

We need Deaf people working across departments\u2014scriptwriting, directing, producing\u2014not just acting. I want the next generation to have it easier. And I hope both Deaf and hearing worlds can become more understanding and compassionate with one another.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope the film raises awareness around care, emotional wellbeing and empathetic communication.\u201d<\/h2>\n

What message do you hope hearing and Deaf audiences take away from Sorda<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n

With “Sorda”<\/em>, we aimed to explore the complexity of human relationships\u2014love, family, friendship, work\u2014but through the unique lens of a Deaf mother navigating a world without enough support, structurally or emotionally.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, we are all human. I hope the film raises awareness around care, emotional wellbeing and empathetic communication. I hope it speaks equally to Deaf and hearing audiences.<\/p>\n

A film that listens<\/h6>\n

More than just a film, “Sorda”<\/em> is a tool for social reflection and awareness. Through its honest narrative and meaningful representation, it invites viewers to challenge their assumptions about disability, language, and motherhood.<\/p>\n

A cinematic work that doesn\u2019t just tell a story \u2014 it makes you feel, building a bridge between worlds that too often exist apart.<\/p>\n

Highly recommended.<\/p>\n

Enjoy it on board Air Europa flights from this July.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

(*)<\/strong> Miriam Garlo’s photo: Nino.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Directed by Eva Libertad and starring her sister, the deaf actress Miriam Garlo, “Sorda” offers an intimate and realistic portrayal of motherhood from the perspective of a deaf woman. It\u2019s a bold and necessary cinematic proposal, especially in a landscape where the representation of hearing disability is still scarce and often stereotyped. The story was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":88265,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5904,5903],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cinema","category-culture-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u201cSorda\u201d: Motherhood, Identity and Belonging in Silence<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Interview with deaf actress Miriam Garlo, star of \u201cSorda\u201d\u2014a powerful, award-winning film on motherhood and disability.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ccmagazine.es\/en\/sorda-motherhood-identity-and-belonging-in-silence\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta 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