Enjoy Eshaan M.'s Interview with Alek Lev about What?
205Enjoy Eshaan M.'s Interview with Alek Lev about What? :From film to television to theater, to podcasting and more, Alek Lev has been in the creative space for over twenty years. Lev wrote, directed, and edited the upcoming feature-length, silent, black and white comedy, What? -- created with a cast and crew of deaf and hearing artists. He also wrote, directed, edited, and appears in the feature film Ready or Not. Other credits include Conventioneers, Devil’s Pond, How I Met Your Mother, Miami Medical and I’m Dying Up Here.
A spin on the black-and-white silent comedy of Charlie Chaplin, What? is a refreshing and eye-opening new film that caters to an often-overlooked demographic in films - the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
What? follows Don (John Maucere), a deaf actor in Los Angeles who puts on shows in ASL for deaf audiences. Don is continually disrespected, mistreated and discriminated against in Hollywood all because he is deaf. He wants to cater to hearing audiences, but is snubbed when he goes to an audition.
Jamie (Josh Breslow), the director, is uninterested and moody. In the end, the director and Don strike a deal - Don looks after Jamie’s Spanish deaf cousins in return for his dream role in the director’s film. Babysitting the cousins is a horrific experience, and for all his suffering, Jamie ends up casting a bumbling hearing actor (Jeremy Guskin) in the deaf role instead. Don agrees to teach the actor ASL, a lowly but well-paid job, and Jami backstabs Don yet again, casting Don in a small, hearing role. How horribly embarrassing! Hurt, Don vows to come up with a plan that shows Jamie what it feels like to be disrespected.
What? has deaf executive producers, deaf investors, a deaf cinematographer (Ruan du Plessis), a majority deaf crew and a hearing writer and director who is fluent in ASL (Alek Lev). The star, John Maucere, a deaf actor, produced this film with his brother Paul Maucere. The film’s huge cast and crew show exactly how much effort went into rejuvenating the medium of black-and-white silent films to create an experience that the deaf community can engage in and empathize with. As a member of the hearing community, I really enjoyed the usage of duotone film. It is fascinating to see how much films depend on two things - the emotions of the actors and the music. Speaking of the actors, the entire cast puts on compelling performances. I felt the sadness, desperation, optimism, hope and rage that Maucere’s character feels at various points in the film. And of course, I laughed with Guskin as he tries and fails to learn ASL. The music is composed and performed by Justin Asher. It really drives the plot of the film. With bursts of bright energy and flamboyant arpeggios on the piano and dark chords on the electric guitar, the score accents the dynamic physical drama and comedy of the film.
What? teaches viewers that we all deserve respect and kindness, and shows gives us insight into the life of a deaf individual, facing prejudice and being continuously underestimated. Don’s journey, rising above this disrespect, is a superb model for other individuals from the deaf community.
I give What? 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 13 to 18, plus adults .What? is currently on the film festival circuit and has already been accepted to 12 film festivals around the world, including some online virtual festivals. The film will be released in 2022. https://youtu.be/B5SsZnNXCag
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