Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements

"Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements" (2019 release; 89 min.) is a documentary about and up-close assessment of what it's like to be deaf. As the movie opens, we see a young boy (we later learn it is the 11 yr. old son of the movie's director) perform Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. As it happens, the boy (Jonas) is deaf. We then go back in time to when Jonas was just a baby, not born deaf but becoming deaf by age 4 and eventually undergoing surgery to get hearing aid implants. "This deafness, it's a hand-me-down", the director shares with us in the movie's voice-over. Astonishingly, we learn that both of the director's parents are deaf... At this point we are 10 min. into the movie,, but to tell you more of the narrative would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from seasoned editor-writer-director Irene Taylor Brodsky, whose most recent work was 2016's excellent "Beware the Slenderman" documentary. Here Brodsky goes in a very different direction, examining the streak of deafness that runs in her side of the family: her own son Jonas, and her aging parents (both well into their 70s). To tell her parents' story, Brodsky relies heavily on archive photos and 8mm footage. For the story of her son Jonas, we benefit from a wealth of (I'm guessing iPhone) footage. Woven together, these are deeply personal and moving stories, in particular as it relates to Brodsky's dad (you'll just have to see yourself why). Incidentally, Beethoven composed Moonlight Sonata while he was sliding into deafness himself. This documentary flew by in no time, and it took me a while afterwards to deal with the emotions from having seen this.

"Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements" premiered this week on HBO and is now available on HBO On Demand and other streaming platforms. In my book, "Moonlight Sonata" is a WINNER all the way. If you like non-fiction film, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

Its talked about 17 times a day at a coffee shop in florida. They talk about it. Leona usually hangs at the bar sitting on a tire. She interrupts their discussion with a highly charged reaction. Usually says the word 'BEEP' louldly.

Just saw the movie and afterwards was lucky to hear a Q & A with the filmmaker --who is the mother/narrator. This is a lovely movie giving a more complete picture of what life is like straddling both the hearing and non-hearing world. (the young child gets a cochlear implant --not a spoiler, it's in the trailer) It is also the story of a young child accomplishing a task (learning the Moonlight Sonata) with his family's support --which could be any child-- and yet the significance that Beethoven wrote this piece when he was deaf is more than symbolic in this film. The other dimension in the film is the story of the grandparents who live nearby and are central characters too. They were each deaf for over 60 years, but also got cochlear implants (another documentary film, Here and Now) and yet their implants function differently because of their stage in life. Having the implants in early childhood vs. middle aged impacts how the brain processes sound, we learn. Overall, this is a wonderful film that is both a portrait of a loving family and an exploration of the experience of living with a different relationship to a world that takes sound for granted.

I'm still crying, a stunningly beautiful documentary about deafness, music, family, love, confusion, innocence and learning. Jonas is fill with sound, energy and music. A beautiful family who love each other immensely. His grandparents are amazing, I cried over his papa's sweetness and amazing love for his family. A must watch, a must listen, but you have to open your heart or you wont hear a thing. I love this documentary. A beautiful gift from parents to daughter to son back to parents. It moved me the way Beethoven moved us all with his Moonlight Sonata!!!

I love the relevance this brings to so many people.

Frustration with the event where one of your friends, or relatives looses hearing it's just that the event that splits people's life in 2 parts before and after (once hearing is provided back). And here's this movie that connects so many people around the world allowing to re-live through those moments where you actually starting to believe that Irene's family is YOUR family.

Absolutely loved relevance, Beethoven's music and personal life and if you really think about this - no one could done it better. It's perfect. Thank you.