On January 22nd, the Maine Jewish Film Festival hosted a special screening of a new film about Israel’s deaf community at the Baxter School in Portland, Maine. The screening was followed by a lively post-film discussion with students. The session was led by Roxanne Baker, a lifelong member of the Portland’s deaf and Jewish communities.
This preview screening of a soon to be released film revolves around a deaf gay man who becomes a father through shared parenting with his best friend, a deaf woman, supported by their community of deaf friends. The film follows his son, El-Ad over several years as, with intimacy and honesty, he explores family, fatherhood and identity.
The Maine Jewish Film Festival is thrilled to work with educators like Roxanne Baker and to have the opportunity to engage Maine’s deaf community through this remarkable film.
MJFF Screening Committee Chair, Melinda Molin
Roxanne Baker, a Portland native, is a Deaf Jewish alumnus of Governor Baxter School of the Deaf now known as Maine Educational Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MECDHH/GBSD), a graduate of Gallaudet University, and currently an American Sign Language instructor at USM . Roxanne is also an actress and member of the theater community. Her latest project was a play called “My Hands Remember,” inspired by the first-hand account of a Deaf Jewish woman’s escape from the horrors of Nazi Germany.
MJFF encourages deaf and hearing audiences to join us on Saturday, March 17, 2:00 PM at the Maine College of Art for a second screening of the film and panel discussion. Tickets will be available February 9th.
