Ishaare, a documentary being shown in Valletta today, documents how six deaf signers communicate with familiar and unfamiliar hearing shopkeepers, street vendors, customers, waiters, ticket conductors and fellow travellers in Mumbai.

The word ‘ishaare’ has a double meaning: it means ‘gestures’ in Hindi and Marathi, but it also means ‘signs’, as such indicating that there cannot be made a strict distinction between them. However, while there seems to be overlap between gestures and sign language, they differ too, as the protagonists of the film show.

Ishaare is being shown at the British Legion in Melita Street, Valletta, today at 8pm. Admission against donations appreciated.

This is a part of a project by Kinemastik and the Deaf People Association to introduce closed captioning to Maltese cinemas and on TV.