In June, Nikki Stratton, co-founder of Deaffest, visited Film'Ô Festival in Toulouse, France, with the support of our bursaries, which are available to Film Hub Members to help them learn from and be a part of the wider community of film programmers.
In a new blog post, Nikki reflects on their experience of the festival, sharing how it was a powerful reminder of the richness and diversity within the global Deaf community and an opportunity to indulge in incredible films made by Deaf filmmakers that they can look to programme at Deaffest in 2026.
"Witnessing and celebrating the incredible skills and talents within the Deaf filmmaking community – all within an atmosphere of connection, creativity, and cultural pride – was an unforgettable experience!"
Blog written by Nikki Stratton
We had the honour of being invited to attend the second Deaf-led Film’Ô Festival in Toulouse, France (13th–14th June 2025) – a celebration of Deaf cinema showcasing a stunning lineup of predominantly French short films, all captioned in English.
The experience was both inspiring and deeply moving. Sitting among an audience of over 700 Deaf attendees – most of whom were French and communicated through LSF (Langue des Signes Française) – was a powerful reminder of the richness and diversity within the global Deaf community.
While I don’t sign LSF myself, I’m deeply impressed by the language and acutely aware of its historical significance, particularly in Toulouse, which is home to the renowned bilingual Deaf school.
The Directors’ Q&A session on Friday offered valuable insight into the current and future landscape of Deaf filmmaking. Passionate discussions centred around expanding access to professional development, including training opportunities in film production conducted in sign language. These initiatives, still in their early stages, hold great promise for empowering Deaf creatives to further their careers – both within the Deaf community and in the mainstream film industry.
Saturday’s events took place at the prestigious Pathé Wilson Cinema, where we had the opportunity to watch the full lineup of films ahead of the awards ceremony. The ceremony itself was a fantastic celebration of talent, broadcast live on a large screen with International Sign interpreters present throughout. This made the event truly inclusive, allowing the audience to enjoy every speech, expression, and reaction from the winners as they received their accolades.
A significant number of the films, created by both seasoned professionals and emerging Deaf filmmakers, left a lasting impression on us. We are genuinely excited about the possibility of bringing some of these remarkable films to Deaffest in 2026.
A heartfelt thank you to Film’Ô Festival Director Michel Gonzalez and Secretary Timothée Massenet for warmly welcoming us and including us in this extraordinary event. It was truly an honour to be part of such a remarkable celebration. Witnessing and celebrating the incredible skills and talents within the Deaf filmmaking community – all within an atmosphere of connection, creativity, and cultural pride – was an unforgettable experience! Whilst we remain committed to championing all Deaf creatives in the film industry, we look forward to the continued growth and development of more Deaf-led films.
Inspired to attend a film festival? You can find all you need to know about applying for a bursary to attend vital events for industry progression here.