Lawand is a five-year-old Kurdish boy, deaf since birth and unable to communicate with those around him. Faced with the ongoing conflict in Iraq, Lawand’s parents make the difficult decision to travel to the United Kingdom as refugees. After a treacherous journey, and an extended period in a Dunkirk refugee camp, the family settles in Derby, home of the Royal School for the Deaf. Edward Lovelace’s poetic, visually striking documentary follows Lawand’s dramatic progress over several years, as he learns British Sign Language, revealing a bright, charismatic and inquisitive boy who discovers friendship and a new way to express himself. But just as he begins to find his community, the threat of deportation arises, and his family must battle to retain the new life they have made for themselves.

This preview screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Edward Lovelace, hosted by Sheila de Courcy, and accompanied by an ISL interpreter.

Notes by David O’Mahony