[accessibleimage] "Acting Blind" - documentary

The Montreal Gazette, Canada
Friday, February 24, 2006

"Acting Blind" documentary follows group getting used to visual impairment and 
acting

By KATHRYN GREENAWAY

Illuminating the darkness

Documentary by Martin Duckworth. Acting Blind follows group getting used to visual impairment and to acting CAPTION: In a scene from Acting Blind, Sandra Cassell (left), Amanda Cape and Patrycja Walton talk in makeup room before the play. Photograph by : NATIONAL FILM BOARD 

In September 2001, at 26 years old, Sandra Cassell veered off the road in her 
car because she was having trouble seeing. Her sight deteriorated rapidly and 
in November of that year she was declared legally blind.

Cassell is just one of the blind and visually impaired Montreal actors who are 
featured in Martin Duckworth's documentary Acting Blind. All but one of these 
actors lost their vision later in life.

The NFB-produced film has its world debut at the NFB Cinema, tomorrow at 9:15 
p.m., as part of the Rendez-vous du cinema quebecois, which continues until 
Sunday.

The group seen in Acting Blind had come together to rehearse Dancing with 
Beethoven, a play (written by retired Montreal impresario Sam Gesser) about a 
group of blind and visually impaired friends who meet for a monthly Scrabble 
game. The play was performed at Place des Arts in December 2003.

With the exception of veteran professional actor and octogenarian Griffith 
Brewer, it was the first time any of the cast had acted in a play.

"A friend asked me if would like to audition,"Cassell said. "I didn't even know what 
auditioning meant, but I thought, why not, no challenge is too great."

Cassell lost her sight while she was finishing her degree in social work at 
McGill University. The mother of three finished her degree and now is a social 
worker at the Montreal Association for the Blind.

She had never even been to a show at Place des Arts before she got involved in 
Dancing with Beethoven.

"It really helps when you can't see," she said. "I knew there were hundreds of 
people out there watching me, but I was only aware of them when they laughed or reacted."

Duckworth filmed rehearsals and performances and then followed each actor into 
his or her home to talk about life without sight. Each voiced the shock and 
dismay they felt right after losing their vision.

"Initially I was hesitant to expose my life to the world," Cassell said. "But I got 
involved in film because there are a lot of stereotypes out there. And this film shows real people 
with disabilities who lead quality lives."

The cast approved Duckworth's final cut but were even more enthusiastic about 
the whole experience after attending a recent private screening of the 
documentary which included a descriptive narrative track. The narration allows 
the visually impaired to follow the action when no dialogue is being spoken.

"After the screening (cast member) Alan Dean said he was able to laugh when everybody else was 
laughing," Cassell said. "That makes a big difference."

Acting Blind premieres at the NFB Cinema, 1564 St. Denis St., tomorrow at 9:15 
p.m. Screenings with a descriptive narrative track will be held at the NFB 
Cinema Sunday to Tuesday at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. For ticket info, call (514) 
844-2172 or go to the Rendez-vous du cinema quebecois website at www.rvcq.com.

kgreenaway@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


http://www.canada.com/cityguides/montreal/story.html?id=5df47bd9-03b1-48ef-abcb-152db0608472&k=43755


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