WATCH: A deaf man dreams up all the ways to get his crush’s attention in this charming indie short
Flirting, With Possibilities an all-too-rare short film highlighting the deaf queer community.Deaf actor and playwright Garrett Zuercher (previously seen in Todd Haynes’ Wonderstruck) writes, directs, and stars in the imaginative romantic-comedy as Harley, a guy just minding his business in his favorite local coffee shop.Subscribe to our newsletter for your front-row seat to all things entertainment with a sprinkle of everything else queer.But then someone catches his eye: A cute hearing patron of the cafe (Jason Tam).
Afraid the opportunity might pass him by, Harley’s mind begins to race as he dreams up the best way to communicate with his new crush—and let him know he’d like his number.Flirting, With Possibilities has a lot of fun with form, employing a variety of creative styles as different scenarios play out in Harley’s mind.
Oh, and along the way, some familiar faces from Broadway—like Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Tom Berklund—show up, too!The short also offers unique insight into how it feels to communicate—and flirt—largely through American Sign Language and the written word in a world where most people are hearing and speaking in English.For Zuercher, the film was an opportunity to not only tell a story about deafness with a universal appeal, but to actually do so with deaf talent in front of and behind the camera.“While there are already films about Deafness,” Zuercher shares in a director’s statement, “they have mainly been spearheaded by hearing writers, producers, and directors with little to no firsthand experience with the people, the language, and the culture.
As a result, Deaf actors have historically lent their incomparable talents to films made by those with little to no knowledge of what their lives and experiences are like.” He continues: “While it is important to support all opportunities for Deaf talent, it’s also more than time to start supporting original work created by Deaf artists themselves, elevating and amplifying these voices and stories.
