Hilari Scarl Sees What We’re Saying

Documentary filmmaker Hilari Scarl made quite the impression on Hollywood heavyweights like Garry Marshall, Carrie Fisher, Jon Avnet, and Brett Ratner while a contestant on Steven Spielberg’s 2007 television series, “On the Lot.” Selected out of 12,000 directors, Scarl made it to the final 19 on the reality show, whose purpose was to find the next big director.

This month, she makes her feature-length film debut with See What I’m Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary, which hits theaters March 19 via Magnolia Pictures. Over the years, Scarl has produced TV shows for CBS, The History Channel, TLC, and Court TV, in addition to directing 12 short films, but with See What I’m Saying, she follows her heart and tells the story of four deaf entertainers she believes are as talented, if not more so, than anyone working as an entertainer today.

“My first introduction to Deaf culture was a performance at New York Deaf Theatre of ‘Night, Mother’ that changed my life,” Scarl points out. “Having been in theater my entire life and experiencing almost every form of theater from Kabuki to Shakespeare, I had never seen anything like this visual and highly emotional art form. I was hooked.”

Scarl soon went on the road as a voicing actor for the Tony Award-winning National Theatre of the Deaf. That was the genesis of See What I’m Saying, and that’s also where she met fellow castmate, Robert DeMayo, one of the leads in her documentary. 

“He is one of the most talented performers I have ever seen,” she declares. “His story blew me away and I knew I had to film it.”

Partnered with Sprint for a 25-city tour of the film, See What I’m Saying will be playing on over 400 screens in mainstream theaters. The first open-captioned film in American history, Scarl is delighted that she can reach a wide audience of hearing people as well as 30 million deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans.

“I’m proud that we’re the first film to openly caption and I hope others will follow suit.”

Soon to start working on a See What I’m Saying related book and TV show, Scarl is excited for everyone to see her favorite entertainers in action and get lost in their story.

“I want people to know that being deaf is not a handicap. Deaf people can do everything except hear. I want audiences to see that Deaf culture is vibrantly rich and filled with brilliant, creative, intelligent, and inspiring human beings who share the same dreams and aspirations as everyone else.” ▼

For more information on See What I’m Saying, please visit www.seewhatimsayingmovie.com.