The short film, "Never Give Up," features a talented musician, Wen, a Chinese girl who loses her hearing as she is well on her way to a successful career as a violinist. Wen is devastated, but when nobody believes that she can continue playing, a young violin player gives her hope. The thesis will examine the problems of deaf identity and artistic representations of the deaf community, as well as the role of music in the deaf community. The audience will see how the main protagonist overcomes all the difficulties to go after her dream, even as the audience also hears Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D performed on the violin. Finally, the thesis examines the themes of hope, moral fortitude, and perseverance in the context of art and personal adversity. The thesis will discuss the way similar themes have been treated in related literature and cinema, and will specifically consider how these themes have been treated from a craft perspective both in Hollywood and foreign cinema.
