Where I Belong

• How does Rajesh seem when he’s in his car? Does he seem happy? How do you know?
• Rajesh is welcomed by his mother. How does this welcome jar with his demeanour?
• How does the director create a sense of awkwardness when Rajesh enters the family home?
• How does the director create a feeling of empathy with Rajesh? Which film techniques are used?
• How do you think Rajesh is feeling? How does the director use sound to give an insight into Rajesh’s experience of the party?
• Consider the scene where Rajesh goes into the woods. This is an example of a transition. What is the director aiming to achieve by using a transition here? Consider where he goes, what the light is like, whether other people are featured in the scene.
• After the interlude where Rajesh screams, how has the atmosphere at the party changed? How does that make you feel? How do you think Rajesh feels?
• At 06:46 minutes the chatter resumes, and the sign language stops. Rajesh is once again excluded. How does the director use colour to reinforce the message of the film here?
• Who do you think the film was made for? Why?

• How many errors in ways of communicating can you spot from the hearing-enabled characters? What is their body language like? Do they face Rajash when they speak? Is it easy for him to lip read what they are saying? What would you have done differently to ensure that Rajesh felt included?
• Belonging. Inclusion. Contribution. How important are these words to an individual’s sense of community?
• Rajesh and his family are not able to communicate properly. Which other groups in society might feel ostracised in a similar way? Do we have a responsibility to include people with whom we may find it difficult to communicate?

WRITE

• Write a reflection about how you felt at the party, from Rajesh’s point of view.
• Write a journal entry from the point of view of one of the guests at the party (this could include Rajesh). How did you feel the party went?

DRAW

• Draw the key signs that you would need to welcome someone who is deaf and to introduce yourself. Can you make this into an eye-catching poster or a short educational video?

DRAMA

• Act out the story of this film as it would be if the whole family could sign.
• Reverse roles: imagine that Rajesh is the only person in the room who cannot understand sign language and act out a scene from the film in which everyone else can sign but Rajesh cannot.
• Many of the feelings that are portrayed in this film are non-verbal. Identify some of them (e.g. confusion, sadness, frustration, joy, belonging, etc.) and act them out – can your group work out which one you are performing?
• How do we recognise Rajesh’s emotions? Describe how the actor portrays what Rajesh is feeling and consider the body language of the other characters too.

PSE

• Rajesh clearly feels isolated from his family. What are the dangers for individuals of social isolation?
• Are there any organisations that Rajesh or his family could approach for help? What would you advise them to do?

RESEARCH

• How common is it for deaf people to feel excluded or isolated in social situations? Or even from their own family? Conduct some research to inform yourself.
• Where can you start to learn British Sign Language? Make a list of the top 5 most useful resources that you can find?
• With a partner, learn enough BSL to have a simple conversation together.