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Unheard Stories: My documentary on the lives of Kenya's Deaf

The story of Kenya's Deaf and disabled.

  • Raabia Hussain
    Director
  • Raabia Hussain
    Writer
  • Raabia Hussain
    Producer
  • Raabia Hussain
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 30, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Kenya
  • Language:
    British Sign Language
  • Shooting Format:
    Sony 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • The Lift-Off Sessions 2020
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 14, 2020
  • First-Time Filmmaker Sessions June 2020
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 21, 2020
  • Rapport Festival: Black Film Festival 2020
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 18, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Focus on Ability Film Festival 2020

    Australia
    August 18, 2020
    Official Selection - International Documentary Top 5
  • Sit Down Shutup and Watch Film Festival 2020
    Brighton
    Australia
    October 21, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Cornerstone Short Film Competition 2020
    Islamabad
    Pakistan
    December 8, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Huntington Beach Cultural Cinema Showcase 2021
    California
    United States
    February 5, 2021
    Honorable mention
  • NAFCo Film Festival Series 2021
    Pennsylvania
    United States
    February 26, 2021
    Official Selection
  • GlobalGirl Film Festival 2021
    London
    United Kingdom
    March 18, 2021
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Raabia Hussain

Raabia Hussain and she is profoundly Deaf. As an independent filmmaker, Raabia has worked on numerous mainstream documentaries and projects with an internationally well-known broadcaster, ITV. Her roles included directing, producing documentaries and she has worked on programmes including "Mission Employable".

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My name is Raabia Hussain. I was born Deaf and I've lived in Oldham all my life.

In my world, there is no sound.

British Sign Language is my first language and part of my identity. It uses hand gestures, body movements and facial expressions.

In the 2019 summer, I volunteered with ICS. I left from Manchester for a place called Nandi in central Kenya, where I was part of a team of all-Deaf volunteers.

We were working with children with disabilities at different schools around the county. Life for them is even more challenging than it is in the UK. Going to Kenya was hard for me as it brought back memories of when I was a child.

But it showed me that by changing attitudes towards disability, we can make a huge difference. This is the story of Kenya's Deaf and disabled.