On the heels of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, a groundbreaking new film just dropped on Apple TV+ that is both powerful and profoundly important. Deaf President Now!, the latest documentary from Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) and co-director, producer, and Deaf activist Nyle DiMarco, tells the riveting story of the largest Deaf civil rights movement in history — an event that changed the course of disability rights in America and beyond.
At its core, Deaf President Now! is about the power of student activism and the enduring fight for equality. But more than that, it’s a story about pride, resilience, and community. It’s about how eight unforgettable days in March 1988 forever altered the landscape for Deaf and disabled individuals in the United States, and how that moment still echoes today — 35 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed.
What Is Deaf President Now! About? (Spoilers ahead)
The documentary centers on a monumental protest at Gallaudet University — the world’s only university specifically for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students — after the school’s board of trustees controversially appointed a hearing president over multiple highly qualified Deaf candidates. What followed was a student-led uprising that quickly gained national attention: rallies, sit-ins, locked gates, and a unified demand for representation at the highest level of Deaf academia.
Over the course of eight days, students and their supporters mobilized in a remarkable display of organization and determination. Their list of demands was clear — and ultimately, it worked. The appointed hearing president resigned, and Dr. I. King Jordan was named the first Deaf president of Gallaudet University, marking a watershed moment not just for the school but for the entire Deaf community.
Why This Documentary Matters Now
The story captured in Deaf President Now! may have unfolded in 1988, but its message couldn’t be more relevant. Released today, May 16, just one day after Global Accessibility Awareness Day and during a year that marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the timing of the film is both symbolic and celebratory.
The ADA, which was signed into law two years after the Gallaudet protests, is widely considered one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. It prohibits discrimination based on disability and ensures equal access to public accommodations, employment, transportation, and more. Many credit the Gallaudet protests as a key catalyst for the passage of the ADA, highlighting the power that grassroots movements can have in driving legislative change.
This is not just a documentary — it’s a tribute to a pivotal chapter in American history that still doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. And now, thanks to the vision of DiMarco and Guggenheim, it finally gets the cinematic platform it’s always warranted.
A New Way of Storytelling: The Deaf Point of View
One of the most compelling aspects of Deaf President Now! is its immersive storytelling technique. The film incorporates an experimental narrative approach known as “Deaf Point of View,” which uses impressionistic visuals and carefully crafted sound design to simulate the Deaf experience for hearing viewers. It’s not just about telling a story — it’s about helping audiences feel it.
Through rich archival footage, scripted elements, and exclusive interviews with the protest’s original student leaders — Jerry Covell, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Tim Rarus, and Greg Hlibok, known as the “DPN4” — the documentary pieces together a vivid oral history of the movement. Dr. I. King Jordan himself also appears, providing a firsthand account of what it meant to become Gallaudet’s first Deaf president and what the victory signaled for generations to come.
The Visionaries Behind the Film
The impact of this film is amplified by the creative minds behind it. Co-director Nyle DiMarco is no stranger to breaking barriers — he’s a model, actor, producer, and activist who has long advocated for greater representation and equity for the Deaf community. For DiMarco, this film is personal. As a Deaf person, he’s walked through doors that were first opened by the very people whose story this film tells.
Joining him is Davis Guggenheim, the celebrated filmmaker behind An Inconvenient Truth, He Named Me Malala, and Waiting for Superman. With a track record of socially conscious storytelling, Guggenheim brings emotional depth and narrative clarity to the documentary, creating a film that is both deeply moving and universally accessible.
The film is also backed by a powerhouse team of producers and executive producers, including Laurene Powell Jobs, Lizzie Fox, and Amanda Rohlke. With such an all-star roster behind the scenes, it’s no surprise the film is already generating early buzz and critical acclaim.
Why You Need to Watch It Now
In a streaming landscape saturated with endless content, Deaf President Now! is the kind of documentary that matters. It’s a story that educates and inspires, that forces us to confront systemic inequities, and celebrates the voices that have long been overlooked or ignored.
It’s also a reminder that representation is not just a buzzword — it’s a right. As the Gallaudet students boldly demonstrated in 1988, leadership matters. Visibility matters. And sometimes, it takes a movement to make the world listen.
Whether you’re familiar with the events of Deaf President Now! or hearing about it for the first time, this film is a must-watch. Not only is it an essential piece of American history, but it’s a rallying cry for continued inclusion, accessibility, and empowerment for all.
So grab your remote, head to Apple TV+, and press play on Deaf President Now!. You’ll walk away enlightened, inspired, and forever changed.
Deaf President Now! is now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+
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