Netflix has dropped the trailer for a new documentary short, ‘Audible’, that will stream on the platform from July 1. The 40-minute film revolves around the personal struggles of a student-athlete, Amaree McKenstry and his teammates at Maryland School for Deaf, in their pursuit of success at the football field and the pressures they face.
‘Audible’, due to premiere first at the non-fiction film festival AFI DOCS 2021, June 22–27, is a coming-of-age story of a high school football player Amaree McKenstry and his friends who happen to be deaf.
The short chronicles the experiences of McKenstry who loses his hearing at the age of two and is the only deaf person in his family. But he takes his disability as a challenge; and converts it into success on the football field.
The trailer provides a glimpse into how these deaf athletes, under duress of senior year and pained by the loss of a teammate, handle themselves in the face of unfavourable situations.
As per Matt Ogens, an award-winning filmmaker and ‘Audible’ director (‘From Harlem with Love’, ‘Why We Fight’), through the short he wants the audience to have an immersive, audio-visual experience of different aspects of the deaf community. He considers ‘Audible’ as his most important work till date, and explains that it is not only meant for hearing people, but also for those who are deaf.
Special attention has been paid to the timing of subtitles to capture the true essence of deaf conversations being translated in English due to inherent differences between the two languages.
According to the makers, the appeal of ‘Audible’ lies in the universality of experience. It captures the usual ups and downs of the senior year students who chase after dreams and learn to stand up for themselves, it is just that they are deaf.
They assert that through this story, they wish to create awareness and empathy in society for the deaf experience, and for the preservation of sign language.
‘Audible’ is produced by Geoff McLean under the banner of Film 45 Production, in association with Forager and Vision Films Co.
Check out the trailer:
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