Say Nothin' But a Word

Say Nothin’ But a Word is set in an urban community in 1986. Jeremih Simmon, a deaf painter, and his best friend Denzel Onai, a slam poet, attend a nightclub that is showcasing and celebrating their artwork. The vibrant club known as Outta Sight is the hottest place to be on a Friday night. Communicating in Black American Sign Language, the two artists observe Jeremih’s new award-winning painting before Denzel performs a slam poem that gets the attendees buzzing.

As the night comes to an end, the artists are stopped by patrolling cops while walking through the nightclub’s parking lot. The two policemen, Officer Henderson and Officer Moore, accuse them of stealing their own car. As Officer Henderson leaves to check their registration, Officer Moore takes advantage of the opportunity to frisk and destroy their belongings, including a personal sketchbook filled with Jeremih's intimate artwork. A physical altercation erupts between the three men. The tussle is brought to a halt when Officer Henderson returns to inform his partner that their registration is clean and the artists’ are indeed innocent.

Beat up and exhausted after the altercation, the two artists reflect on the night at their favorite diner. Jeremih gets a burst of inspiration and begins to sketch on a napkin. We catch a glimpse of what the future holds for Jeremih as he has now found his true voice as an artist.