Esplendor

I saw RADIANCE at the Philadelphia Film Festival because I liked the writer/director Naomi Kawase's earlier film, SWEET BEAN. I am glad I did...but I also think it's a film that average viewer might struggle to enjoy...though it is well made.

The story concerns a woman whose job it is to provide descriptive captioning for the visually impaired so that they can enjoy movies. She comes in contact with a photographer who is having a hard time admitting he is blind and his life must change.

Overall, this is a lovely but deliberately paced film...with lovely music, nice acting and a story that fortunately avoids the usual clichés associated with films about the disabled.