Deaf President Now!
| Deaf President Now! | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Directed by | |
| Produced by |
|
| Cinematography | Jonathan Furmanski |
| Edited by | Michael Harte |
| Music by | |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Apple Original Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 101 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Languages |
|
Deaf President Now! is a 2025 American documentary film, directed and produced by Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim. It follows the 1988 student protest at Gallaudet University, when a hearing candidate was elected over other deaf candidates.
It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2025, and was released on May 16, 2025, by Apple Original Films.
Premise
[edit]Follows the 1988 student protest at Gallaudet University, when a hearing candidate was elected over other deaf candidates. Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Jerry Covell, Greg Hlibok, Tim Rarus and I. King Jordan appear in the film.[2]
Production
[edit]In December 2024, it was announced Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim had directed a documentary revolving around Deaf President Now for Apple Original Films.[3]
Release
[edit]It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 28, 2025.[4] It also screened at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 11, 2025.[5][6] It was released on May 16, 2025.[7]
Reception
[edit]Critical reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 33 critics' reviews are positive.[8] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 82 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[9]
Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "A fine entry in the generally prolific 'Birth of a Movement' documentary genre, Deaf President Now! illustrates what is and was distinctive about the Deaf rights movement, but also the elements that connect it to many recent campaigns for visibility and recognition."[10]
Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com gave the film four out of four stars and wrote, "Roger Ebert famously described cinema as a machine that generates empathy. This movie is that machine: a relentless engine field by idealism and craft."[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "Deaf President Now!". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ "Deaf President Now!". Apple TV+ PR. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ "Apple Original Films announces groundbreaking new documentary film "Deaf President Now!" featuring the historic Gallaudet University protests". Apple TV+ PR. December 10, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Patten, Dominic (December 11, 2024). "Sundance 2025: JLo, Sly Stone, Putin, Ayo Edebiri, André Holland, & Ex-NZ PM Jacinda Ardern Films Among Park City Festival Offerings". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ "Deaf President Now!". South by Southwest. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ Smith, Kate (February 5, 2025). "2025 SXSW Film & TV Announces Final Slate". South by Southwest. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 11, 2025). "AppleTV+ Sets Spring Premiere For Documentary 'Deaf President Now!' – SXSW". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
- ^ "Deaf President Now!". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
- ^ "Deaf President Now!". Metacritic. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
- ^ Fienberg, Daniel (January 30, 2025). "'Deaf President Now!' Review: Davis Guggenheim and Nyle DiMarco's Doc Gives the Deaf Rights Movement a Compelling Spotlight". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ Zoller Seitz, Matt (May 16, 2025). "Deaf President Now!". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved May 17, 2025.