Sightseeing Blind

Linda is a 46 year old woman who lost her sight overnight twelve years ago. She has never travelled and she has grown used to relying on others to get about. She has planned a trip to Florence, Italy and has a seeing guide accompanying her to help. Her guide though is Hasid, a young man who works as a bouncer in Brixton but has never met a blind person, far less help look after one.

An interesting short film this one that challenges some preconceptions about being blind. Interesting enough though it is actually Linda that finds herself challenged across the majority of the film as Hasid generally gets her to walk beside him without holding onto his arm and other things she would never do. He helps her a lot by doing this and the film (and Linda) recognises this but doesn't ignore the fact that Hasid is rather motivated by ignorance and impatience that by aspirations for Linda.

This comes out as Hasid starts the film not really knowing what he has to do and challenging Linda to do things he thinks she can do; however when he tells her she can just head out by herself it becomes clear that he is maybe assuming things are easy for Linda just because they are for him. He demonstrate this by finding a door in an open room with his eyes shut – teasing Linda that he hasn't had twelve years of practice neither! This insensitivity is sort of allowed to lie because Hasid is quite a blunt character and, while Linda hopes that he has learnt as much as she has from their trip, you really do doubt that he has.

Interesting then for what it is. It could have been more pointed in its messages but it is still interesting thanks to the two characters and the journey they go on together.