Gracious

Gracious is deaf and communicates through sign language, but in all other ways she’s just like any other teenager. The open expression on her face speaks volumes in this intimate portrait. At school, she makes a drawing of her future home. “Now put some people in it,” encourages the teacher. Gracious draws only herself.

She becomes increasingly withdrawn at school. Something terrible happened last year, and she’s still very angry. In sign language she explains on camera that when she was staying at her grandmother’s house, her cousin raped her. Her grandmother didn’t believe it, and the cousin denied everything. Fortunately, Gracious’s mother took her to the police. Now all she wants to do is hide behind a book. Is there anybody who can help her return to being a happy 16-year-old girl?

This clear and compact film portrait with subtitled sign language is part of Mensjesrechten (Young People’s Rights), a series of documentaries for children and young adults.