Acting Blind
By Martin Duckworth, National Film Board of Canada

Acting Blind takes audiences behind the scenes as a company of non-professional actors rehearse Dancing to Beethoven, a play about blind characters negotiating their way through the emotional and physical maze of life without sight. Most of the performers have no problem imagining themselves in these roles — they are blind themselves. All but one of them lost their sight later in life. In this spirited documentary, we hear their own stories about losing their vision and learning to cope with the world of blindness.

Observing as the actors struggle with lines and work out their blocking, and as they manage their daily lives at home, we hear about their shock and dismay at losing vision, and about their struggles to cope with the at first terrifying world of blindness. But we also hear about the ways they have succeeded. By opening night, they are a close-knit cast, ready for the curtain to rise, for their moment to step into the light.

VHS has optional closed-captioning and audio descriptions.

52 minutes
© 2006
Purchase $229 VHS / Purchase $229 DVD
Order No. QA-445
ISBN (VHS) 1-57295-445-0
ISBN (DVD) 1-57295-834-0

Awards & Conference Screenings
Picture This... Disability Film Festival

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