The Province of Milan, with the support of the Banca del Monte di Lombardia Foundation, promotes Cinema without Barriers, a programme of films conceived for physically challenged viewers, in particular the blind and the hard of hearing. After an initial experimental phase, the project has established itself as an ongoing, year-round programme which represents a concrete effort to make culture accessible to all. Culture is a vital tool for discovering and reclaiming freedoms, including for people affected by isolation and practical difficulties. To follow a film, bringing creativity and ideas into contact with one’s own experience, is a fundamental part of individual experience. Playing an active part in culture, using it as an opportunity for social relations, provides important opportunities for relief and emancipation, including at psychological level. The Cinema without Barriers project was premised on observations of this kind.

The blind receive an infrared headphone through which they can listen to the audio commentary; actions, moods, situations, colours and landscapes are described by a voice over. Who listens through the headphones can benefit from soundtrack descriptions necessary to better understand the film, without covering speeches and important background noises. For deaf people there are subtitles on the screen containing, besides the text of the dialogue, even captions with indications about noises, music and tone of the dialogues. Thanks to a synchronized system, the normal projection is enriched with additional data, therefore it can be enjoyed by the whole audience. The technical assistance is edited by Raggio Verde, in cooperation with ENS (Ente Nazionale Sordi) for subtitles and Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e Ipovedenti Milano for the audio commentary.

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Credits and collaboration

Cinema Without Barriers by AIACE Milano in collaboration with Raggio Verde 2008 Seminar Sponsor: