Deaf Culture takes centre stage through short films, art exhibitions and visual arts.
The Wits Centre for Deaf Studies hosted South Africa’s Deaf Art and Film Festival (DAFF) on March 28, 2025, at the Space Frame Auditorium on the Wits Education Campus in Parktown, providing a platform for hearing-impaired creatives and storytellers to share their culture, identity, and lived experiences.
The event, sponsored by the National Lotteries Commission, brought together members of the Deaf community, students, artists, academics, and allies for an afternoon that was as moving as it was inspiring.
Despite the absence of traditional sound, the festival is far from silent. It bursts with energy and emotion through visual storytelling and physical movement. Live performances include sign language poetry, visual music, and deaf theatre that incorporates bold gestures, expressive faces, and dynamic body language. Dance groups choreograph pieces to vibrations and rhythms felt through the floor, often using lighting cues and visual effects to guide timing.
A major highlight of the event was the screening of work created by 15 deaf interns, who spent the past six months training in a first-of-its-kind film production internship programme launched by the Centre.
Under the guidance of Nenio Mbazima, video producer at the Centre for Deaf Studies and project lead of the internship, these young filmmakers gained skills in cinematography, editing, and storytelling.“The journey hasn’t always been easy, many of them had never touched a camera before, But these interns showed incredible determination, they’ve grown into confident visual storytellers, and their films are not only technically excellent but deeply personal” said Mbazima.
When asked about the vision behind the event, the director of the for Centre for Deaf Studies and the festival’s lead organiser.
Prof. Claudine Storbeck, explained “This is the first time many of these stories are being told by deaf people themselves, in their own language, on their own terms. It’s about recognising Deaf culture not just as a disability narrative, but as a vibrant, creative identity.”
The short films shown were rich in personal narrative, emotion, and creativity, reflecting stories of identity, everyday challenges, and triumphs of deaf individuals in South Africa. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause and emotional engagement and many visibly moved by the film’s messages.
One of the interns, Nombulelo Dakayi, shared how being part of the programme has changed her life.
“I was very shy and terrible at filming, but I never saw myself represented in the industry,” she said through a South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreter. “Now, I feel seen. I feel powerful.”
Another intern, Linda Majola, highlighted the importance of telling stories in SASL, “It’s our language, our voice. It’s how we connect with each other and the world,” she said. “Through film, we can show people what it really means to be deaf in South Africa”.
The festival concluded with a graduation ceremony where the interns were awarded certificates of completion, symbolising not just the end of training but the beginning of promising creative careers.
FEATURED IMAGE: The 15 deaf interns in the arts and film production. Photo: Bontle Malowa
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