Blind People to Protest Blindness

Posted by on October 1st, 2008   Filed under: Books/Comics, Drama, Industry News
Source: The Playlist

So get this… on the same weekend that Bill Maher’s anti-religion documentary Religulous is going to hit theatres, somehow the movie that’s actually generating the most controversy is Fernando Meirelles’ Blindness. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the National Federation of the Blind is planning to stage a large scale protest in 21 states on Friday because of the way it reinforces negative stereotypes about blind people.

Never mind the fact that the movie is based on a Nobel prize-winning novel, and never mind the fact that blindness is used as a metaphor for a larger message here. No, apparently the movie simply “portrays blind people as monsters”. Hey, did they even see the movie? Err… wait a minute. (Actually, according to the article, seven staff members did see an advance screening of the movie, including three who can see. And they were all offended.) I guess it’s hard to put myself in their shoes, but I can’t help thinking that if the movie wasn’t actually called Blindness, it wouldn’t be such a big deal.

Director Fernando Meirelles had this to say: “There are different kinds of blindness. There’s 2 billion people that are starving in the world… It doesn’t need a catastrophe. It’s happening, and because there isn’t an event like Katrina, we don’t see.”



  • Itchy-finger

    The National Federation of Blindness is still angry over the amount of suckage Daredevil produced.

  • These people need to get a fucking hobby.

  • It’s official: stupidity is running rampant in the world. Gimme a break. The book is brilliant, and I truly hope the movie lives up to it. Gimme a break, I say.

  • Matt

    “Hey, did they even see the movie? Err… wait a minute.”

    OH SNAPPP! No, you did not, Sean. When they run this blog through their voice-synthesizing software (which I’m sure has got to exist) they’re gonna come after you… if they can find you. Just hold your breath and sneak past them.

  • Itchy-finger

    Yes Sean is about to get voicemails from thousands of voice relay operators.

  • Using people’s disabilities as a metaphor is, like, totally lame.

  • Mike

    “Yes Sean is about to get voicemails from thousands of voice relay operators.”

    Blind people can speak, and hear. They don’t need voice relay operators.

  • @ Mike

    Ha ha ha! Yikes, itchy-finger …

  • So this is just like that one time I called this guy a retard and he got all mad, but then I tried to explain to him that I was metaphorically comparing him to a retard–that his character possessed much of the qualities of a retard without actually being a retard, and I didn’t actually think he was a retard. But then he just punched me in the jaw.

  • swarez

    Do these morons actually not know what this film is about?
    God people a so fucking stupid sometimes.

  • Ian

    Hmmm though I do require corrective lenses I think based on that little quote from the director and the involvement of the NP that I’ll go ahead and be offended because it sounds pretentious. Though I might be wrong I haven’t “seen it yet” get it seen it…? ’cause it’s pictures on a screen.

  • Wow, with these kind of idiots representing the NFB the last thing blind people should be concerned about is a metaphorical film that, if anything, will probably garner sympathy/compassion for their condition.

    …blind people should be protesting their ignorant leaders instead.

  • The thing I don’t understand is what exactly is being protested here. We’re not allowed to make a movie about people going blind? Why? I seriously just don’t get it…

  • Ryan

    what’s the name of this movie?