The cheerful sound of student orchestras stopped echoing in Los Angeles high schools between 2011 and 2013. The icy silence was the result of their tubas having been stolen. The Tuba Thieves goes beyond the headlines. Delving into the emotional impact of the thefts, this documentary poetically explores sound and silence. Deaf director Alison O’Daniel pushes the boundaries of a linear story and encourages the audience to think about the value of community, the power of self-expression, and the discovery of music in the most unexpected places.

This movie screening is adapted for the deaf and hard of hearing. What does this mean? The film will be shown with special subtitles (SDH), which will tell a little more than usual about the sounds heard in the film. Hearing viewers will not be disturbed by these subtitles, and deaf and hard of hearing people will be able to fully watch the movie together with hearing people.