FEELING THROUGH: FILM REVIEW
Humanity can be found in any story, and in Doug Roland’s film Feeling Through, all it takes is 20 minutes. The Oscar-nominated short, which made history by being the first film to cast a DeafBlind actor in a lead role, tells the story of a late-night encounter between a homeless teen named Tereek (Steven Prescod) and a DeafBlind man named Artie (Robert Tarang). What begins as a chance encounter ends up deeply impacting Tereek’s perspective on his life and the needs of others.
Many of the most meaningful moments in our life happen by accident, and Tereek’s relationship with Artie is no different. The film opens with a scene of Tereek nervously standing outside of an AT&T store, texting a friend “Can I crash at your place tonight?” only to be hit back with the response, “Again?” He decides to kill some time by hanging out with two of his friends. They wander the streets of New York City, rapping over beats that they found on the internet and scarfing down stir-fry noodles. When the night bleeds into early morning, Tereek and his friends say their goodbyes and go their separate ways. And just as Tereek is planning to head over to spend the night at a girl named Rhonda’s house, he notices a man standing a block away holding a sign that reads, “Tap me if you can help me cross the street.” Although initially hesitant, Tereek looks around and sees no one else in sight. He decides to tap Artie, marking the beginning of an hours-long journey with the goal of getting Artie onto a bus home.
Although Tereek is the one assisting Artie, the 18-year-old remains quite reserved. It is Artie that initiates conversation as he feels the smoothness of Tereek’s hand and proclaims, “Young man!” He proceeds to write on his notepad, “Your name?” Without any use of verbal language, he eventually gets Tereek to open up — and to abandon his act of being so stiff and guarded.
Elements of simplicity lie at the heart of this 20-minute short, and amidst a series of small interactions is an unexpected and much grander connection. Throughout the night, Tereek and Artie follow a sequence of events that include waiting for the bus, going to the bodega to grab a cold Arizona, and falling asleep with their heads on each other’s shoulders. While at first glance, it appears that the two have nothing in common and few avenues for communication, they find ways to feel a range of human emotions, from empathy to child-like joy to comfort.
When Artie and Tereek finally must go their own separate ways, it’s Artie who reassures Tereek — a lost teen that he can’t see or hear but can wholeheartedly sense. “You’ll be OK,” he traces onto the palm of Tereek’s hand. As the bus carrying Artie drives away, Tereek waves his friend goodbye. The film comes to a close, but its message stays with us — we know that for both Tereek and whoever is watching, Artie’s words of wisdom will ring true.