Thanks to: Thomas Tajo, Georgia Venetakis, Geertje De Ceuleneer, Axel Cleeremans, Campbell Works Gallery, LABO Brussels, Susanne Dietz, Miila, Nico, Alice, Josh, Marina, Rebecca, Anne Haaning, Neil Benun, Anna Rispoli, David Weber-Krebs, Duncan Speakman (sound mix), Houle, Cunio and Bown (music) and everyone who kindly attended the many try-outs.

A co-production between Vooruit (Ghent), Beursschouwburg (Brussels) and Bronks Theatre (Brussels)

In the darkness of a cinema space, based on the method of audio description, Blind Cinema as a live event is an experience where the act of watching a film becomes a shared investment: a collaborative and imaginative act between seeing children and blinded adults. It embraces the fact that the act of trying to find the right words to describe (even if at times being "at a loss for words") and of trying to hold onto the consequently unstable images created in the mind’s eye, will always only be an approximation. To articulate in words in order to share experiences involves a struggle, a struggle that seems to be closest to those in the midst of discovering language’s potential and limits.

In focusing on that which lies beyond the sense of sight (leaving the illusory reality of cinema to re-enter that of the imagination), the attention oscillates between each shared but internal world guided by the whispering voice, and the shared physical space of the darkened cinema.

The film screened during the performance will be seen by each group of children for the first time. Hence, each performance will have a new group of describing children. Each screening is preceded by a workshop with the group of children, performing on the day.

blind cinema

BRITT HATZIUS (DE/UK)

After completing a degree in Fine Art Media at Chelsea College of Art London in 2002, Britt works in photography, video, film and performance. Her work refers to or often takes the format of the moving image, both in its technical and conceptual form, exploring ideas around language, interpretation and the potential for discrepancies, ruptures, deviations and (mis-)communication.

As part of her practice she has collaborated with numerous visual artists, performers, theatre directors, sound artists, musicians, dancers and is engaged in visual-sound collaborations with the collective "Not Applicable Artists".

Since the completion of an MA in Photography and Urban Cultures at Goldsmiths University London in 2005 she also works within academic research at Studio INCITE (Critical Enquiry into Ethnography and Technology) and CUCR (Centre for Urban and Community Research).

for more information

www.britthatzius.co.uk

B r i t t H a t z i u sB L I N D C I N E M A

B r i t t H a t z i u s

B L I N D C I N E M A