A deaf person can feel music’s beat through their feet. Powerhouse Amber Galloway reckons the community deserves more. Join her bootcamp for ASL translators, teaching them to reveal the heart of a song beating between the lyrics, and the wordless highs and lows from classical music to EDM in this SXSW highlight.

2026
The Way We Move
The Way We Move
Director
Runtime
95 Minutes
Country
France, United States
Classification
Unclassified 15+
As the Austin City Limits music festival fast approaches, gamechanger Amber Galloway trains a bunch of ambitious ASL (American Sign Language) signers, encouraging them to let go of literal translation and help deaf audience members feel beyond the bone-crunching bass. You’ll meet sweet-natured Puerto Rican dad Julian Ortiz, whose tough-love father only now grasps the harm done by his fit in at all costs approach to raising his son. Ortiz came close to homelessness and the false promise of gang culture. Now? He just performed in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show. Then there’s queer Laotian American AV, once bullied by other deaf kids, now she works with superstars like Celine Dion, opening access to music as physical poetry. Vanessa Dumont and Nicolas Davenel’s SXSW-debuting, laugh-and-cry portrait introduces us to them both as bashful hopefuls as yet unaware of the extent of their abilities as a determined Amber encourages them to flourish. All the while, she’s holding up her troubled son, Josh, who’s drowning in the aftermath of family tragedy.
“It’s a demonstration of the power of ASL, its ability to transcend language and reach something deeper than sound.”
Deaf filmmaker Nyle DiMarco
“A wonderful, albeit at times bittersweet, experience … a breath of fresh air.”
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
“An amazingly multifaceted and layered documentary… a delight to all audiences.”
Montage Review
SXSW
Sheffield
Melbourne
Film Credits
Director
Vanessa Joo Dumont & Nicolas Davanel
Year
2026
Country
France & United States
Language
English
Subtitles
English
Type
Feature Documentary
Program Strand
Change Award
Producer
Matthieu Belghiti, Hubert Cornet & Arnaud Le Guilcher
Writer
Vanessa Joo Dumont & Nicolas Davanel
Cinematographer
Isabelle Razavet & Nicolas Davenel
Editor
Nicolas Davenel & Sébastien de Sainte Croix
Music
Astral Bakers
Film Source
What's Up Films
Genre
Activism, Disability, Documentary & Music
