A story told for families across generations. The beloved Coast Salish tale of Changer takes new form as an innovative film presented in Native Sign Language. Renowned Deaf storyteller Howie Seago worked with original adapters Fern Naomi Renville and Roger Fernandes (Lower Elwah Klallam/ Makah) to create this first-of-its-kind, sign-language-based film featuring two Deaf Native storytellers. This film takes the original radio play audio and augments it with gorgeous Lower Elwha S’Klallam landscapes and visual storytelling created for the screen. Central to this project is Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody (Cherokee), serving as Director of Artistic Sign Language and Native Cultural Consultant. 

Drawing source material from Coast Salish and Dakota origin stories to imagine a sovereign future, the film earned laurels from over 15 film festivals. During the COVID-19 digital shift, we created an experience that was deeply artistic, enduring and culturally authentic with Deaf, Indigenous and CODA film makers. We believe this approach to storytelling is the future and CHANGER defined what we mean when we claim our work is “intersectional”. CHANGER was filmed on location in August 2021 on the Lower Elwha sʼKlallam tribal lands. Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody, (Cherokee) a Deaf Indigenous expert on endangered Indigenous sign languages of North America provided critical support.

CHANGER was included in the UNESCO program: International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL 2022-2032) as part of International Deaf Week in 2022. It has been viewed at festivals from Berlin to Mexico.

Festival Screenings:

Seattle Deaf Film Festival
Local Sightings Film Festival
Native Spirit Film Festival
Superfest Disability Film Festival
Latino & Native American Film Festival 
Sarasota Native American Film Festival
Portland Deaf Film Festival
1904 Deaf Film Festival
Seattle Wine and Film Festival

This production runs 1 hour and 5 minutes. The entire film is signed and has closed captions.

A SEABREEZE Production, in collaboration with Sound Theatre Company.

CAST

G Christian Vasquez - Changer, Sonny Burns
Roberto Sandoval - Coyote, Johnny Burns, Sandi Jackson
Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody - Cleo Burns

CREW

Producer - Kyle Seago
Original Story Adapter - Fern Naomi Renville (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Omaha, Seneca-Cayuga)
Original Story Adapter - Roger Fernandes (Lower Elwha S’Klallam)
Director - Howie Seago
Director of Artistic Sign Language / Native Cultural Consultant - Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody (Cherokee)
Cinematographer - Kyle Seago
Cinematographer - Raven Two Feathers (Cherokee, Seneca, Cayuga, Comanche)
Costume Designer - Doris Black
ASL Interpreter Liaison - John R. Huddlestun