While we may think we have good disability arts here in the UK, New Zealand seems to have gone one better. They are in the middle of a Deaf Awareness Week, and one of its main events is the New Zealand Deaf Film Competition. The competition, themed around Planet of the Deaf, showcases short films either written, produced or directed by deaf people.

The winner of the competition is Victoria Manning with her short film Land of the Deaf, which she both acted in and directed. The film won three awards: Best Comedy, Best Actress and Best Short Film. The short movie tells the story of a woman who begins to lose her deafness - eventually becoming 'profoundly hearing' and learning to cope with her disability. Nothing new to us here!

Land of the Deaf is claimed to be a funny film that makes a statement about Deaf people's lives and dreams. It will be shown in the UK next March by the British Film Institute.

So should we be having our own disabled BATFAs?