AUSTIN, Texas — The South by Southwest Film & TV Festival held screenings all over Austin, with people amped to scope out the major premieres. But a series of short films caught the attention of many festival-goers. Called the Texas Shorts Program, it’s a collection of short films related to the Lone Star State.

Some filmmakers behind these short films are Texas-based, such as Amy Bench and Annie Silverstein, co-directors of “Breaking Silence.” The short film’s focus on real people with real-life issues that aren’t as explored provides impactful insight into the incarcerated deaf community, and deserves its own highlight.

It’s a look into the world of a deaf chaplain and his hearing daughter whose relationship is the center of the film in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Walker and Leslie Estes's reunion is documented as she is released from prison, but it’s through her time in lockup that their activism for the incarcerated deaf community ignited.

A part of the 2023 Texas Shorts Competition, “Breaking Silence” won the Texas Short Jury Award.

According to HEARD, “There are tens of thousands of deaf people in jails and prisons across the nation. Most departments of corrections do not track numbers or locations of deaf prisoners. HEARD has located more than 500 deaf prisoners, but this is just a tiny fraction of deaf prisoners across the nation.”

Growing up with deaf parents opened Leslie’s eyes early on to the mistreatment of people with hearing disabilities. She joins her dad Walker in helping deaf people access their rights to communicate within prison systems.

When Leslie was incarcerated, Walker’s frequent visitations oftentimes ended in frustration since the two rely on American Sign Language to communicate with each other. However, the guards required Walker to pick up the phone and speak through the glass, as all conversations must be recorded. This showed the two a major lack in communication accommodations for deaf people.

“Advocates for deaf prisoners refer to the isolation experienced by deaf prisoners as a ‘prison within a prison.’ Many deaf prisoners experience prolonged communication deprivation that leads to mental health conditions and to these prisoners losing their ability to socialize and communicate with anyone in any language. This holds true even for deaf prisoners housed in the general population,” according to HEARD.

Walker is a positive force in his community, helping other formerly incarcerated deaf people get the resources they need. As he continues his work as chaplain for the deaf-incarcerated at Louisiana State Prison, Leslie takes her advocacy to the Lone Star State. She now lives in Katy, Texas, and works as a sign language interpretor, mentoring incarcerated women.

Other short films that screened were “Call Me Mommy,“ “Dress, “ “Exit 248,” “Funny Faces,” “La Coescha,” “Eyestring,” “Wüm” and winner of the Special Jury Award, “When You Left Me On That Boulevard.” If you have an SXSW Film & TV badge, you can register here to view the Texas Shorts Program lineup. You’ll have until Sunday 12:01 a.m. to watch most of them. 

CORRECTION: Walker and Leslie Estes were misidentified in an earlier version of this article. This has been updated. 3/20/2023