An in-depth exploration of the creative paths of blind and visually impaired artists including a photographer, dancer, writer, and filmmaker.
While creating this documentary, director Rodney Evans wanted to better understand his own disability through creating visual portraits exploring how other impaired artists come to terms with fears and obstacles they endure since being diagnosed. In this film we see Rodney along with three other artists share their stories and struggles of losing their vision, restructuring their lives and being forced to discover new ways of looking at the world recreating it from a different vantage point.
Rodney’s vision began to diminish in the late ’90s, soon after he was diagnosed with a rare eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, a slow deterioration of the retina that would eventually result in blindness. Possessing just 20% of the normal visual field, loss of his peripheral and night vision, he compares his sight to a horse with blinders. Wishing he had the freedom he once had as a seeing person, he is determined to hold on to what little sight he has, experimenting with new state of the art treatments in Berlin that could potentially repair his vision. As he explores what it truly means to work as a visually impaired filmmaker who is forced to depend on others, he constantly faces the insecurities of revealing his disability, worrying about not only the stigmas and prejudices surrounding being blind, but in addition, being single and in his ’40s. Would people understand? Pity him? Or consider him a burden?
Kayla Hamilton was born with vision in just one eye. At the age of five, she was forced to wear a patch covering the strongest seeing eye to strengthen the other. Her parents put her in dance classes to distract her from her issues around her vision and that’s where she developed a love for dance. During college, she began having issues with her seeing-eye and was diagnosed with Eyethritis, arthritis of the eye. After extensive use of steroids to reduce the inflammation, the steroids eventually brought on glaucoma. Awakening one morning with no vision whatsoever, she admitted to being scared, depressed and even suicidal during the 3-month period she spent without any sight. After having a procedure that restored the original portion of her vision, she realized that she needed to shift her perspective around how she dealt with her disability and her view of the world.
Kayla admits to facing many difficulties as a dancer with vision impairment. She says her best dancing is when her eyes are closed, and she is not worried about what she looks like or if anyone is watching. Issues arise when trying to be in sync with others because she is unable to see who is standing right next to her. Theater lighting is another problem so she normally gets assistance to get on stage. Refusing to give up on life and dance, Kayla continues collaborating performances with others and creating her own where she makes it a requirement for the audience to wear an eye patch. Her goal is to inspire others to broaden their views around what it means to be visually impaired.
Ryan Knighton, a screenwriter, began going blind at the age of 18 and was actually diagnosed on his birthday. He remembers not being able to see people clearly as his retina was deteriorating. Nightclubs became his favorite place because he could hide his disability and embarrassment of bumping into people; no one would notice. He made the decision to travel the world to broaden his senses before he went completely blind, his first stop was a rattlesnake convention where he skinned his first snake and held its heart in his hand while still beating. As he tried constantly to pretend he was a sighted person, it became exhausting as he learned how much effort it takes to lie to oneself. Writing about being blind in his everyday life became a cure for him as he discovered how to find beauty and creativity through his disability.
John Dugdale, a photographer, was diagnosed with HIV over 21 years ago. He remembers being in the shower and completely collapsing. He lost his sight at the age of 30 due to AIDS. With the help of many assistants, John was able to continue his craft and come to terms with a totally different reality. He explains not wanting his sight back after so much time has passed and the world sure looks different than when he last saw it. Having the beauty of imagination, remembering and creating another world through images in his head is his inspiration.
This documentary will change every misconception you’ve ever had regarding the visually impaired. Through the interviews, you come to understand there are different levels of impaired vision that falls under what is considered blind and how each individual deals with their own journey. I loved the visual effects in this film, I thought they helped bring the stories to life as we, the audience, get a better understanding and experience of what the artists actually see. Many think being blind equates total darkness but that’s not true. There are beautiful specks of color for some, popping lights, similar to shooting stars for others and strings of bright lights for another. There is so much beauty within the artists, so many things they imagine and with the help of others, they continue to create incredible films, photographs, and dance.
In select theaters Friday, August 9th
