Tanz der Hände

Dance of Hands – The Renaissance of the Sign Language ot the Deaf in Europe
Danse des mains – La renaissance de la langue des signes des sourds en Europe

Switzerland, November 1997
FILM, Documentary, 68 min.

Save as Favorite
directed by
Phil Dänzer, Peter Hemmi
Written by
Phil Dänzer, Peter Hemmi
Status
In distribution

An unusual love story, that tells the love of the deaf for their very own language, the language of signs. It is a language that through the 19th and 20th centuries was banned in many countries as being “ape like”. “Tanz der Hände” attempts to show that on the contrary, sign language is richly expressive and beautiful. It introduces the viewer to the cultural centres of the deaf, and to on-going research into sign language in France, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden. It introduces a number of deaf poets, actors and dancers, in rehearsal. And it shows deaf children and adolescents at school in Geneva and Stockholm, where they are tough also using sign language.

credits

World Premiere
November 1997
Original Version
Sign language (french/german subtitles),  colour, 16mm, 68 min.
Production
Etoile Productions Phil Dänzer, SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen
Producer
directed by
Phil Dänzer, Peter Hemmi
Written by
Phil Dänzer, Peter Hemmi
Music
Pierre Favre

World Sales / World Rights

World Rights
Etoile Productions

Worldwide Distribution

Switzerland
Etoile Productions Distribution

Festivals

(a selection)

Newsletter