Name Me Lawand

Dir: Edward Lovelace

Cast: Lawand

NAME ME LAWAND is an inspirational and touching coming-of-age story which explores the power of communication and community through the experiences of a young Deaf Kurdish boy - five-year-old Lawand. The film delves into the theme of belonging beautifully, exploring the refugee experience of fleeing Iraq for Derby, and the importance of alternative forms of communication like sign language in building community and identity. Lawand finds that he communicates himself best when he says nothing at all. The film is a visually stunning showcase of artistic transitions and incredibly rousing musical scores. It is a film that does not compromise on style or substance, immersing you in the intimacy of familial bonds and boyhood, with a soundscape of scratchy felt tip pens and the thudding of a football. While a lot of films seek to transport you to new and distant planets, this film made me grateful to be on this one. The question of belonging is threaded throughout this film, which had a profoundly emotive effect on many viewers. The shots of the endless spectacle of space in contrast with the war-torn desolation of Iraq place us directly in Lawand's shoes. His sense of misplacement and isolation makes him feel like he should be living on another planet, in another time. The importance that is given to being able to freely communicate and belong in a community is something that we often neglect when considering what we as humans need to feel happy and fulfilled, and this film focuses on just that – without making it a deaf issue, but rather a human desire. The main reason why this film flows so well is the willingness of Lovelace to break free of all of the classic documentary conventions. The attention both to style and substance – abandoning the usual 'coldness' of a more realistic approach to visuals and sit-down 'confessional'-style interviews, instead opting for isolated voices that intertwine with beautiful imagery – make this such an immersive and touching experience.

The film follows Lawand, a Kurdish boy who's been deaf since birth. As a young child, Lawand and his family leave Iraq, seeking asylum in the UK and eventually ending up in Derby at the Royal School for the Deaf. Lawand starts out not knowing any BSL – with no way to communicate, he has no way to verbalise his trauma. The audience is plunged into Lawand's world through a combination of intimate shots, vibrating soundscapes and simple, organic storytelling. On one level, the film tells a particular story, Lawand's story, which got many thinking about the dual isolation of being an asylum seeker and being deaf, and how lonely Lawand must feel as his parents struggle to grapple with his deafness. But on another level, the film tells a universal story about the power of love and friendship. The love between Lawand and his brother, Rawa, is incredibly moving. Despite only being a few years older, Rawa clearly takes his role as big brother seriously, supporting Lawand every step of the way. Close-up shots of Rawa learning BSL from Lawand are especially touching. And as Lawand makes friends and his BSL progresses, his confidence grows and his personality blossoms - and seeing this is inspiring.

Director Edward Lovelace has clearly used this heart-wrenching documentary as a homage to language. His choice to limit the verbal conversations and focus on the senses, creates an almost transient state for the viewer, where we become dependent on sign language and subtitles, mirroring the overlooked difficulties of the deaf community. For many viewers, this movie was about the importance of language and the friendships and communities around you. The film celebrates the impact of language in its multitude of forms.

Lawand's story, one of heroism and survival, is told with a great sense of lyricism, from the sweeping soundscape to the capturing of the sunlight on Lawand's face. There is a poignancy in the nuances of this docu