“The LUX Audience Award shines a light on films that open our eyes to experiences beyond our own. This year’s winner, Deaf, does exactly that – with courage, warmth, and rare authenticity.
“Director Eva Libertad gives us an unforgettable window into the life of a deaf woman navigating motherhood in a world not built for her. Led by a stunning performance from deaf actress Miriam Garlo, the film challenges us to listen differently and to build a Europe where no one is left unheard,” said European Parliament vice-president Sabine Verheyen.
“I hope that this award will help to focus on the deaf community, and the diversity of people in Europe, and to promote inclusion policies that improve their living conditions. I am also confident that it will contribute to society changing its view of diversity, that it will no longer be seen as a problem and that it will be perceived as human wealth”, said the director Eva Libertad.
The other four shortlisted films were: “Christy”, by Irish director Brendan Canty; “It Was Just an Accident”, by Iranian director Jafar Panahi who won the 2012 Sakharov Prize; “Love Me Tender”, by French director Anna Cazenave Cambet; and “Sentimental Value”, by Norwegian director Joachim Trier.
Read more about the LUX Audience Award nominees
About the winning film
This drama tells the story of Ángela, a deaf woman expecting a child with her hearing partner. Ángela’s fears about motherhood and her ability to communicate and interact with her daughter mount as she confronts the reality of raising a baby in a world not built for her.
The winner was chosen by citizens across Europe, as well as the Members of the European Parliament, who voted for their favourite film on the LUX Audience Award rating platform. Their respective votes counted 50% each to the films’ final scores.
Press point
After the ceremony, at around 19.15, there will be a press point outside room SPAAK 03C050 (in front of the hemicycle), with European Parliament vice-president Sabine Verheyen, a representative of the winning film, European Film Academy chair Ada Solomon, and honorary president of the LUX Audience Award selection committee Mike Downey. The press point will be webstreamed.
LUX Audience Award
Through the LUX Audience Award, a unique pan-European audience film prize, Parliament has been supporting the distribution of European films since 2007, providing subtitles in 24 EU languages for all shortlisted films. This year, for the first time and keeping with Parliament’s commitment to accessibility, shortlisted films have subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
The European Parliament works with the European Film Academy, the European Commission, and the Europa Cinemas network to reach a wider audience and to continue to strengthen the links between people and politics
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