Documentary Australia Foundation

Blindsight

Synopsis

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayas, Blindsight follows the gripping adventure of six Tibetan teenagers who set out to climb the 23,000 foot Lhakpa Ri on the north side of Mount Everest.

A dangerous journey soon becomes a seemingly impossible challenge made all the more remarkable by the fact that the teenagers are blind.

Believed by many Tibetans to be possessed by demons, the children are shunned by their parents, scorned by their villages and rejected by society. Rescued by Sabriye Tenberken - a blind educator and adventurer who established the first school for the blind in Lhasa, the students invite the famous blind mountain climber Erik Weihenmayer to visit their school after learning about his conquest of Everest. Erik arrives in Lhasa and inspires Sabriye and her students Kyila, Sonam Bhumtso, Tashi, Gyenshen, Dachung and Tenzin to let him lead them higher than they have ever been before. The resulting 3-week journey is beyond anything any of them could have predicted.

“Just because you lose your sight, doesn't mean you lose your vision”
Blind climber Erik Weihenmayer

Impact

Producer's Statement:

BLINDSIGHT was born out of an exciting idea for a film without initially considering the philanthropic potential. After realizing the possibilities, the focus of our productions and our lives have changed forever.

When Erik Weihenmayer called me and asked if I thought taking 6 blind Tibetan teenagers up a 23,000 foot mountain in the Himalayas sounded like a movie I wanted to make, I said yes. When I learned that many Tibetans believe blind people are demonic and are completely ostracized from their society, the story became even more compelling. But I was still thinking of this story as a filmmaker rather than it's potential for philanthropy.

After arriving in Tibet, I began to more deeply understand the brave and important work of Sabriye Tenberken and Paul Kronenberg and their project to educate the blind in Tibet called Braille Without Borders.

While they were succeeding in their efforts to change the lives of Tibetan blind children, like many charities, they were strapped for cash. They were torn between the need to leave their project and raise money versus continuing their important work in Tibet and now also in the building of an international blind training center in Kerala, India. I had never encountered a charity which was more efficient with effectively 100% of the money raised going to support the kids.

I was determined to make BLINDSIGHT a commercial success but also a conduit to help raise money for Braille Without Borders. The best way to do that was to make it as great of a film as we could. In the last year, we have won the coveted Audience Awards at some of the world's most prestigious festivals including the AFI (American Film Institute) Festival in Los Angeles, the Berlin Film Festival and were shortlisted for an Oscar. We have used the festivals as opportunities to introduce Sabriye, Paul and their important work to audiences and at fundraisers. Audiences around the world have come to us after screenings asking what they can do to spread the word about BLINDSIGHT and how they can help support the work of Braille Without Borders. We have definitely learned the power filmmaking can have in generating interest in causes and how effective films can be for fundraising.

Even before our US release in March 2008, BLINDSIGHT fundraising screenings have raised a substantial amount of money for Braille Without Borders in Tibet. As Sabriye and Paul's work expands to India, Asia and Africa so will our efforts to help them raise needed funds through BLINDSIGHT events. Our goal is to raise an annuity substantial enough to cover their ongoing running costs. We are donating 20% of all BLINDSIGHT profits to Braille Without Borders. We are also holding a number of corporate sponsored fundraising premieres and private screenings across the country which will benefit selected local charities as well as Braille Without Borders.

BLINDSIGHT will be released theatrically in Australia in April 2008.

WINNER – AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST FILM, BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL PANORAMA 2007

WINNER – AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY, AFI FILM FESTIVAL 2006 (LOS ANGELES)

WINNER – AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY, PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL 2007

“DECEPTIVELY COMPLEX…A COMPELLING STUDY IN CULTURE CLASH, WITH SPECTACULAR SCENERY TO BOOT”
– Variety

“A BRILLIANT FILM, RAVISHINGLY PHOTOGRAPHED”
– Time Out (London)

“A BEAUTIFUL, CROWD-PLEASING DOC”
– The Observer (UK)