Local Free Events For The Eyes Of Me Entertain and Educate

Isaac with his horses in Paris, TX

Zoe Nousiainen, our producing partner in Saratoga Springs shared the following thoughts about our recent event for The Eyes Of Me.

We have several library patrons who consistently attend and others who are interested in the particular subject of each film. My co-sponsor for this film was the CEO for the Glens Falls Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which is part of a coalition of organizations in New York State.

He discussed what his agency does, how it is funded, and what he got out of the film. He was particularly impressed that the teenagers in the film who originally had some sight were able to articulate their experience so well and didn’t blame their shortcomings on their sight issues.

The audience included several teens and tweens who responded very positively to the film. One girl was especially happy that the young people in the film had friends with sight and were not totally isolated in a blind world.

Our Producing Partner in Colorado Springs, Chris Loud, shared the following thoughts about our recent screening of The Eyes of Me.

Meagan dons her graduation cap.

The screening of The Eyes of Me in Colorado Springs, co-presented by the Independent Film Society of Colorado, began with an attentive reading of the directors statement and ended with a surprise guest.

I began the screening by reading the statement from the filmmaker to the audience. This introduction caused the audience to be very engaged when we started the film.  You could hear the reactions from the crowd during the reading and they applauded when it ended, similar to what you would see at a film festival.  Really, this is what the Community Cinema screenings are like, attending a film screening at a film festival; an introduction with a statement from the filmmaker, a screening of the film, ending with a panel, speaker and/or a Q & A.

The night got even better when our discussion after the film led to the discovery of a surprise guest attending the screening; a woman who used to teach at the Texas School for the Blind while the film was being made.  She knew three of the students featured in the film and was even in two scenes.  This led to more questions and discussion ranging from blind sports to the details of how blind people take notes in class.  We are setting up a second screening of The Eyes of Me for the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, where she teaches now.

Tags: blind, teens, the eyes of me

How Do You See Yourself When You Can’t See at All?

For blind teenagers crossing an intersection, cooking a meal, or navigating unfamiliar areas can be a challenge that sighted viewers never consider.

Our Community Cinema selection for February is the documentary The Eyes Of Me by Keith Maitland.

How do you see yourself, when you can’t see at all? At the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI), in Austin, Texas students juggle all the usual pressures of high school along with the added struggles of growing up blind. Spend a dynamic year with four blind teens learning how to fit in and live independently. Forced to confront the world without sight, they share their inner-visions of the outer world. Ultimately, you cannot understand their perceptions without challenging your own.

Denise sings a duet in the school play

Filmmaker Keith Maitland explains, “I’ve always been intrigued by questions of perception and identitybuilding, specifically how teens and young adults define themselves within their communities. After a chance meeting with a staff member from the Texas School for the Blind, I realized that I could delve into these questions of perception and identity through the experiences of the students at the school. Meeting Chas (the first blind person I’d ever met) convinced me that I had to make a film that would explore these questions, simply by spending time with him and experiencing his life as it unfolded that year. Additionally, I chose to follow Denise, Isaac, and Meagan, all unique characters with unique perspectives.”

Preview The Eyes Of Me here.

Tags: austin, teens, texas, the eyes of me, vision