The Way We Talk
Mike Turner with Parents - "The Way We Talk" Documentary
Quote: "Inspiring and enlightening. This, to me, is the unique power of film, and more specifically, documentary - to shine a light on subjects we overlook and make them personal and resounding to us all as a community."
"The Way We Talk" Documentary
Mike Turner - "The Way We Talk" Documentary
Quote: "Brave and deeply searching."
Speech group - "The Way We Talk" Documentary

The Way We Talk

Regular price $295.00
Unit price  per 

    • Directed by: Michael Turner
    • Produced by: Michael Turner, Alyssa Burgé
Released: 2016
Running Time: 80 minutes
Language:  English 
Bonus features include:  The St. Rose Interviews, Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailer 


Michael Turner struggles with one of medical science’s most baffling and enduring disabilities—he stutters. On the surface, stuttering is syllable repetitions, prolongations, blocks, and various physical tics. But as he illustrates in THE WAY WE TALK, stuttering is like an iceberg, with the major symptoms below the surface. Emotions caused by the disorder— anxiety, depression, denial, and a negative self-image—are rarely confronted in speech therapy or even by people who stutter. Turner explores his own experiences with stuttering and presents the stories of others who are part of the self-help movement within the stuttering community—stories that are relatable to anyone who has experienced feelings of separateness, isolation, or inadequacy in any area their life, and are trying to make the most of who they are.

The Way We Talk (Trailer) from Collective Eye Films on Vimeo. 

Reviews / Quotes:

 "Director Michael Turner decided to make a documentary about stuttering after a friend asked him to explain what it was like. In his voiceover, Turner explains that he kind of grew up with the disorder since several relatives all stuttered at various times. Turner starts by asking his brother Ryan about stuttering, but the latter prefers not to dwell on it (their mother wishes the family had talked about it more). Interestingly, home movies show Turner's grandfather stuttering, while young Michael doesn't appear to have developed the disorder yet. Turner next meets with Dr. Dennis Drayna, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, who confirms that stuttering is an inherited condition. "This mutation is about 12,000 years old," he states. Turner also observes a support group in Japan and a summer camp for youth in North Carolina. The campers worry about their prospects in terms of job interviews and professions that involve verbal communication, but the camaraderie with other stutterers gives them confidence. Turner follows up by joining a group in Portland, OR, where he meets Ian, who becomes a friend, and Glenn, a speech therapist, who describes stuttering as "brain-based" rather than psychological. ...  [P]eople who stutter- as well as family and friends- will find much to relate to here. Recommended." - Video Librarian