Blind People to Protest Blindness
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.”
Comments (13)
The National Federation of Blindness is still angry over the amount of suckage Daredevil produced.
Posted by Itchy-finger on October 1st, 2008These people need to get a fucking hobby.
Posted by Jonathan on October 1st, 2008It’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.
Posted by Juan Carlo on October 1st, 2008“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.
Posted by Matt on October 1st, 2008Yes Sean is about to get voicemails from thousands of voice relay operators.
Posted by Itchy-finger on October 1st, 2008Using people’s disabilities as a metaphor is, like, totally lame.
Posted by Joel on October 1st, 2008“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.
Posted by Mike on October 1st, 2008@ Mike
Ha ha ha! Yikes, itchy-finger …
Posted by Joel on October 1st, 2008So 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.
Posted by Joel on October 1st, 2008Do these morons actually not know what this film is about?
Posted by swarez on October 2nd, 2008God people a so fucking stupid sometimes.
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.
Posted by Ian on October 2nd, 2008Wow, 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.
Posted by Stefan on October 3rd, 2008The 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…
Posted by Rian on October 4th, 2008Leave a Reply