The other day, Les Choristes, a classical French film, was played at the Visual Impairment Center of Zhejiang Library on Shuguang Road. This time two students from the Communication University of Zhejiang sit next to the screen. As the light faded, they explained the film to the visually impaired audience.

Appropriate descriptions was necessary for watching a film “with eyes closed”. Barrier-free films will not change the length, contents or the structure of a film. Between long pulses of dialogue, the scenes or how characters feel were described so that the audience can understand and imagine the scenes. During the one-plus-hour film , many of the visually impaired audience kept listening attentively . And some funny scenes would arouse laughter from time to time.

When the film was over, many of the audience said, they not only “watched” the film carefully, but also understood most of the plots. An old man expressed gratitude to the volunteers, “I have made a trip of more than two hours for this film. I cannot see anything, yet I have enjoyed a good film through their explanation.”

At present, people with visual impairment numbered more than 17 million in China. They also need cultural entertainment. Barrier-free films were a blessing to them, which signified that public cultural services are developing in depth and precision. We wish that we can light up the eyes of the visually impaired people and bring better life experience to them with our voice.

(Executive Editor: Lubin WANG)