Brooklyn hosts World Sight Day with documentary film
Light Darkness Light is a documentary film that tracks the life-altering experience of a blind man or woman as they regain the ability to see. The film tracks a medical procedure known as an artificial retina implant, a revolutionary approach is utilizing unprecedented breakthroughs in bionics to restore sight to the blind for the first time in human history. Through pioneering camera techniques and intimate narrative storytelling, the film aims to provide audiences with an experiential journey through the process of losing sight and developing a new concept of vision.
As a documentary film, the artificial retina presents a perfect storm of elements: first, a truly historic marriage of medicine and technology, or as the New York Times said recently, “one of science’s most sought after holy grails: making the blind see.” Second, a true-life story of human transformation. In most cases, candidates for the artificial retina will have been blind for their entire adult lives, the process of regaining vision is sure to be a dramatic, life changing experience. Finally, as a film about alternate forms of vision, the film presents a world of visual opportunities that any visual artist would salivate over.
The film aims to create an intimate and sensitive portrait of one person as they go through the entire process of an artificial retina implant, from their selection for the procedure, to the implant itself, and the gradual process of learning to see with the device. We plan to employ a variety of pioneering camera techniques, including the use of motion and depth sensor cameras, to represent the experience of at various stages of the process. Cutting between this imagery and rich documentary footage, the film will explore broader themes in vision, technology, and human perception.