My latest campaign is #SubtitledCinema – I am challenging the industry for an increase in open subtitled showings in cinemas across the UK.
Update: #SubtitledCinema Campaign Update – Where to go next?
Currently, only 1-3% of films are subtitled in cinemas and are usually in unsociable hours when deaf people are at school/work. Due to this, deaf people have given up going, hence why cinemas say there’s ‘no demand’.
I’m hoping to work with the cinema industry, with the incredible support from Michelle Hedley, Deaf Girly and many others, to change this on behalf of 11 million people with hearing loss!
We want to increase the current provision, raise awareness and bring deaf people back to the cinema. We want to make it a fun, enjoyable, accessible experience for all.
More info: Action on Hearing Loss #SubtitledCinema Campaign
#SubtitledCinema Petitions
I created a petition for more open subtitled cinema showings, and so far it has reached over 11,000 signatures!
Please sign my petition!
Limping Chicken Editor; Charlie Swinbourne has set up a petition of his own. Please sign, the more we can prove there’s demand, the better!
There are campaigns overseas too, check out this one for ‘Movie Theatres – Open Captions (Subtitles) are for Everyone’
Watch: Deaf People’s Cinema Choice
Featuring: Jessica Kellgren-Fozard, Mr Luke Christian, Jazzy Whipps, Deaf Girly, Liam O’Dell, Michelle Hedley, Sarah Brennan, Jason Trotter
How you can get involved!
- SOCIAL MEDIA: Share your subtitled cinema experiences (good/bad) on social media using #SubtitledCinema and tag your cinema chain in. This will help to spread the word and hopefully will encourage your chain to take action.
- CONTACT CINEMAS: Get in touch with your cinema’s Manager and tell them how you feel about the lack of #SubtitledCinema showings and this will encourage them to do something about it!
- GET IN TOUCH WITH THE MEDIA: Share your cinema experiences with the media and how you’d like to see more subtitles – mention my campaign too, everything helps to raise awareness
- SPREAD THE WORD: Please share our petitions, blogs, social media posts and tell your family and friends!
#SubtitledCinema in the Media
Deaf Girly’s Viral Tweet
Sky News: Deaf Girly discussing #SubtitledCinema
Watch: Access Bedford Subtitle Awareness Ad
Bea Webster’s Viral Tweet
Channel 5 News
National Deaf Children’s Society and a mum and son discuss the lack of #SubtitledCinema showings for deaf children (no subtitles on the video unfortunately!)
Blogs
Deafie Blogger: ‘Presenting at the Independent Cinema Office’s Inclusion Screening Day’
Limping Chicken: ‘#SubtitledCinema Campaign aims for more subtitled screenings’
Action on Hearing Loss: ‘Lost in translation: our fight for cinema subtitles’
HearingLikeMe: ‘Why I’m petitioning for more subtitled movies in cinemas’
British Deaf News: ‘My fight for more subtitled cinema showings’
Hearing Care Centre: ‘The petition for better subtitled cinema access for people with hearing loss’
Deafinitely Girly: ‘Subtitled Cinema: Daydreaming of a better deaf world’
Captain Captions: ‘Caption This’
News Stories
2019
Limping Chicken: ‘More subtitled screenings are needed at UK cinemas’
The Guardian: ‘Deaf children ‘failed by cinema’s lack of subtitled screenings’
BBC Newsround: ‘Films for deaf children: UK cinemas ‘not doing enough”
Film Stories: ‘UK cinemas criticised for lack of subtitled family screenings’
Bedford Independent: ‘Deaf and hard-of-hearing film fans abused by audience members at local cinema’
EDP: ‘Norfolk deaf blogger battling for more subtitled cinema screenings’
Metro: ‘Avengers: Endgame spoilers take on a whole new meaning when you’re deaf’
2018
Limping Chicken: ‘Subtitled cinema screenings would benefit from support from hearing audiences too’
Limping Chicken: ‘Cinemas should do more to bring in deaf audiences’
Metro: ‘It’s about time we made cinema more inclusive for those who are deaf or hard of hearing’
Limping Chicken: ‘Deaf News: Deaf girl protests outside cinema for more subtitled screenings’
Audio Accessibility: ‘Movie Theatre Captioning Access Survey Results’
Den of Geek: ‘Subtitled cinema screenings, and their highs and lows’