Disney Music Group has teamed up with Deaf West Theatre, a Tony award-winning company, to release an American Sign Language version of the hit song “We Don’t Talk about Bruno” from Walt Disney Animation’s “Encanto” in celebration of Friday’s International Day of Sign Languages.
The video features an all-deaf Colombian and Hispanic cast, utilizing both American Sign Language and Colombian Sign Language to add additional layers of authenticity to the song. The sung English lyrics were translated by a team of sign language choreographers who worked through the text to find an accurate signed translation of the song for the video.
Featured in the video are Nataly Barahona (Pepa), Andres Otalora (Felix), Donna Valverde (Mirabel and Abuela), Jasmine Garcia (Isabela), Joseph Rocha (Camilo) and Andrea Rodriguez (Dolores). Principle creatives include Donna Valverde and Nataly Barahona (ASL Choreographers), Andres Otalora (Director of Photography) and Austin Balaich (Editor).
“The impact this film has on children cannot be dismissed. The majority of Deaf children are born to hearing families and sometimes the only exposure to the community and sign language is through videos like this,” said DJ Kurs, Deaf West’s Artistic Director of the positive impact collaborations like these can make. “By working with Disney Music Group on expanding the access to one of their songs to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities brings us immense pride.”
The original motion picture soundtrack for the film features eight original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, with an original score by Academy Award-nominated composer Germaine Franco. The soundtrack held the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 album chart for nine non-consecutive weeks and the three-times platinum-certified “We Don’t Talk about Bruno” topped the Hot 100 chart for five weeks. Additionally, the soundtrack and song held the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 simultaneously for five consecutive weeks.
Watch the official ASL video for “We Don’t Talk about Bruno” below.
