Watch Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements

Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements is an emotionally captivating and thought-provocative documentary film released in 2019. Directed by Irene Taylor, the film follows three stories that explore the themes of deafness, music, and family relationships. This movie is a rich, intimate portrait of three unique individuals, and how they have adapted to the challenges presented to them by deafness.

The first story of the movie centers around the director, Irene Taylor, and her son Jonas, who was diagnosed with progressive hearing loss at a young age. The camera follows as Irene tries to create a special video project for her son that can shed some light on the condition he's living with while showcasing his love for music. The director tries to find ways to bring sound to Jonas' life and provide him with a chance to learn and play music despite his deafness.

The second story is of a young girl, named Tahani, who lost her hearing at a very young age due to an illness. She is part of a deaf family, and music has become a vital and fundamental part of their everyday life. The family is connected through the shared experience of deafness, and music is the tool they use to communicate and connect with each other. Tahani loves to dance, and the film beautifully showcases her passion and poise in expressing herself through movement.

The third and final story focuses on a retired professional musician, Marletta, who lost her hearing due to an illness in her middle age. Marletta shares her story about how deafness has affected her life and how music has been both her salvation and her cross. She talks about the damage that occurred after playing the piano for a long time, and how she struggled to cope with the sudden loss of sound. The film highlights the challenges that Marletta faced and how she has overcome them to become an advocate for the deaf community.

What makes Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements an exceptional film is how it uses silence and music to tell the heart of the story. The film foregrounds the experience of deafness, and how it affects families and individuals differently. The camera follows the subjects around, capturing the small and intimate moments of their everyday lives, while the music provides a soundtrack that reflects the emotional intensity of their story.

One of the film's standout moments is when Irene takes Jonas to a hearing clinic in New York, and the doctors explain to them in detail how hearing loss occurs and why it's happening to Jonas. This sequence is a beautiful blend of documentary filmmaking and animation that adds a layer of understanding to the condition of progressive hearing loss. The animation is simple yet beautiful and helps the audience to empathize and feel the everyday struggles that people with hearing loss face.

Another beautiful moment of this film is when Tahani is showcasing her dance moves. There is a cutaway of her sisters standing in the balcony watching her while holding balloons. The sequence is shot so beautifully, and it helps us feel the emotions of the moment. Music dictates the rhythm of the editing and the flow of the sequence, which makes it transparent how closely related sound and visuals are.

Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements is a reminder that beauty can come out of struggle, and that music can serve as a bridge to connect different communities. This documentary film is expertly crafted and heartwarming, and a testament to how a film can move audiences by simply showcasing the power of human connections. This film helps us understand deafness, both as an experience and a community.

The film concludes on a hopeful note, where the subjects of the movie share their views about their everyday struggles, and their hopes for the future. The movie ends with a quote from Beethoven: "music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life." This quote perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the film, where music becomes a mediator between the audience and the experience of deafness.

In conclusion, Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements is a beautiful and uplifting documentary that takes us on a journey through the experiences of three different people who have had to face deafness in their lives. This film is a testament to how the power of music can bring people together and heal the wounds of a difficult life. This movie is an essential watch that helps us understand the complexities of deafness, and how important it is to come together and celebrate diversity.