Nikki Stratton and Marilyn Willrich

Hosted under the award-winning Deaf-led charity Zebra Access CIO, Deaffest is held biennially, with its 15th edition taking place in 2024. Deaffest supports, develops and showcases the talents of both emerging and established D/deaf filmmakers and artists from the UK and around the globe.

Through its wide array of events, the festival plays a vital role in preserving Deaf culture, heritage, and sign languages from around the world, including British Sign Language (BSL) through film and arts. It highlights the richness and diversity of Deaf culture, offering a platform for D/deaf filmmakers and artists to share their stories, knowledge, and experiences. In doing so, Deaffest provides inspiration, education, and empowerment for future generations of D/deaf individuals.

Deaffest is recognised for its influential role in promoting Deaf culture and bringing attention to the challenges that D/deaf individuals encounter in the arts and media sectors. By fostering a deeper global understanding and appreciation of Deaf culture, Deaffest ensures that D/deaf creatives and audiences have equal access to cultural experiences as their hearing counterparts.

"Our goal was to create a space where D/deaf creatives could come together to celebrate our language and culture while supporting and showcasing the talents of D/deaf filmmakers and artists. We are fortunate to have connections with industry role models who inspire us, and it’s incredibly important to pass that inspiration on to the next generation. We’re proud of how far Deaffest has come and the opportunities it has created for so many. Thanks to the support from The National Lottery, it’s exciting to see Deaffest and our mission gaining greater recognition from a wide range of audiences, and we hope this continues to grow.”