Hear and Now

The filmmaker's parents were both born deaf; and the couple raised children who were not deaf. Paul Taylor and his wife Sally Taylor were in their 60s when they both decided to have cochlear implant surgery, which could permit them to hear for the first time. The documentary follows what turns out to be a complicated journey from the comfortable world of silence to a profoundly challenging world of sounds and language.{{Cite web |date=March 15, 2007 |title=Rochester Native Brings Her Famous Film Home to Benefit Deaf Students |url=http://www.ntid.rit.edu/media/full_text.php?article_id=581 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070328124029/http://www.ntid.rit.edu/media/full_text.php?article_id=581 |archive-date=March 28, 2007 |website=National Technical Institute for the Deaf}}

The documentary introduces the couple's personal histories – childhood years learning to communicate in a special school, experiencing the stigma surrounding deafness in mainstream high schools, and having meaningful careers in the Deaf community at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Paul was a pioneer in development of TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) which is also known as TTY.

The couple's filmmaker daughter chronicled these surgeries and the aftermath. The film shows some of the short-term consequences, including both expected and unexpected adjustments each would need to make. These two deaf people investigate the sounds and meaning of sounds; but learning what not to hear becomes an equally significant challenge. The camera records quite different reactions as the couple struggles to adjust after living deaf for a lifetime.{{Cite web |title=Hear and Now synopsis |url=https://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/hearandnow/synopsis.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421012237/https://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/hearandnow/synopsis.html |archive-date=2008-04-21 |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=HBO}} The effects of the surgeries are not entirely positive.{{Cite news |last=Halbfinger |first=David M. |date=2006-11-30 |title=Coming to Sundance: New Crop of Engaged Indie Films |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/30/movies/30sund.html?scp=1&sq=irene%20taylor%20brodsky&st=cse |work=The New York Times}}

The film establishes cochlear implant surgery in an intimate family setting rather than the larger context of the Deaf community.{{Cite web |last=Lowe |first=Justin |date=2007-02-04 |title=Hear and Now |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/hear-159512/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

This documentary was co-produced by Vermillion Films and HBO Documentary Films, which reduced the financial risks inherent in the project; and the film was distributed by HBO.{{Cite web |date=October 21, 2009 |title="Hear and Now" Released on DVD |url=http://www.ntid.rit.edu/media/full_text.php?article_id=1062 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708052050/http://www.ntid.rit.edu/media/full_text.php?article_id=1062 |archive-date=2010-07-08 |website=National Technical Institute for the Deaf}}

File:Irene Taylor Brodsky, her grandparents and the crew of Hear and Now at the 68th Annual Peabody Awards.jpg

In 2007, Hear and Now won the prize for the Best Documentary at the Heartland Film Festival.{{cite web |date=2007-10-20 |title=Heartland Film Festival Announces Top Winners |url=http://www.heartlandfilmfestival.org/news_07release23.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025074142/http://www.heartlandfilmfestival.org/news_07release23.aspx |archive-date=2007-10-25 |accessdate=2007-10-23 |website=Heartland Film Festival}} At the Sundance Film Festival, the documentary won the Audience Award;{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Michael |date=2007-01-28 |title=Global films top Sundance awards |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/01/28/global-films-top-sundance-awards/ |access-date=2024-02-28 |website=Chicago Tribune |language=en-US}} and it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.

{{dynamic list}}

• Heartland Film Festival, Best Documentary, Audience Award, 2007.
• Sundance Film Festival, Audience Award, 2007.
• Middle East International Film Festival
• Biogra Film Festival, Special Jury "Best Life" Award.{{Cite web |title=News |url=https://vermilionpictures.com/ |access-date= |website=Vermilion Films |language=en-US}}
• EIDF Film Festival, Audience Award.
• American Film Festival in Moscow.

• List of Peabody Award winners (2000–2009)
• List of films featuring the deaf and hard of hearing

{{reflist|2}}

• [http://vermilionpictures.com/hear-and-now/ Official website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080420055858/http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/hearandnow/index.html Hear and Now] at HBO Films
• {{IMDb title|0912587}}
• [http://www.deconstructingsundance.com/2009/FESTIVAL2007_DOCUMENTARYCOMPETITION_Hear%20and%20Now Hear and Now] at Deconstructing Sundance
• [https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/hear-and-now-1200511062/ Hear and Now review] at Variety

{{Sundance Audience Award Documentary}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hear And Now}}

Category:2007 documentary films

Category:2007 films

Category:American documentary films

Category:Documentary films about deaf people

Category:Peabody Award–winning broadcasts

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:2000s American films

Category:Films about disability in the United States

Category:American Sign Language films

Category:English-language documentary films