RAI CINEMA AND RAI FICTION: FROM EXCLUSION TO EARLY SIGNS OF PROGRESS
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DMDB NEWS –
Since the creation of Rai Fiction in 1997 and Rai Cinema in 2000, RAI has produced hundreds of television series, TV movies, and feature films. However, for much of this period, authentic representation of Deaf people has been largely absent.
For decades, deaf characters have been portrayed primarily by hearing actors rather than deaf performers. As a result, stories involving the Deaf community have often been told without meaningful participation from Deaf people, both in front of and behind the camera.
One of the few exceptions was L’Amore è Sordo (Love Is Deaf), a television film produced in collaboration with RAI’s Social Secretariat and broadcast on Rai 1 on August 22, 2012. Although it received limited visibility, the project represented a step in the right direction, demonstrating that more authentic representation was possible through the direct involvement of Deaf talent.
Unfortunately, that experience remained an isolated case and did not lead to a structural change in casting practices. In the years that followed, RAI continued to assign deaf roles to hearing actors. Among the most notable examples are Romanzo Famigliare, in which a deaf character was portrayed by a hearing CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) actor, and Il Muto di Gallura (2021), where a deaf role was once again given to a hearing performer.
As a result, RAI has yet to produce a major television series or feature film with deaf protagonists portrayed by deaf actors.
In recent years, however, encouraging signs of change have emerged. Through initiatives such as the Accessible Sanremo Festival in Italian Sign Language (LIS), which has given national visibility to Deaf performers and sign language artists, a new generation of Deaf talent has begun to gain recognition within the RAI ecosystem.
This shift has started to be reflected, albeit cautiously, in fiction productions as well. In Imma Tataranni – Sostituto Procuratore, deaf actors were cast in supporting roles in 2021 and again in 2026. While these were not leading roles, they represent an important step toward more authentic and inclusive participation.
These recent examples suggest that RAI is beginning to recognize the importance of allowing Deaf people not only to represent their own experiences but also to tell their own stories. The challenge for the future will be to transform these early signs into lasting change, ultimately leading to productions featuring deaf protagonists portrayed by deaf actors.
