“Talking movies”: Chinese cinema brings film to blind audiences

Xin Mu Theater, a small group of volunteers who were the first to bring films to blind audiences in China, hosts dozens of blind moviegoers on Saturdays.

The free film screenings by Xin Mu offer a rare chance for blind moviegoers to be part of the world's biggest box office.

Reportedly, their approach is uncomfortably low-tech. Face expressions, unsaid gestures, the surroundings, and clothes are all described by a narrator.

They communicate visual signals that would otherwise go unnoticed, such as an abrupt change in landscape from falling leaves to snow, which indicates the passage of time.

According to The China Association for the Blind, China has more than 17 million people who are visually impaired. Eight million of them are completely sightless.

In last ten years, China have built more blind walkways, added braille markings on elevator panels and allowed blind candidates to take exams for government jobs and colleges.

"But the blind community have limited opportunities to participate in cultural activities," said Dawning Leung, Founder of the Audio Description Association in Hong Kong.

"They are shut out of cinemas, theatres or art exhibitions because there is no awareness about the need for audio narrations," she added.

"Even audio descriptions at museums are written with sighted people in mind. They tell you about the history of an object or where it was found but rarely describe what it looks like," she said.