About the project
“What Is Blindness? The World Unseen” aims to open a window into the lived experiences of blindness. Facilitated by two blind professional artists—who have played a significant role in shifting UK discourse around disability from a purely medical to a more social perspective—the project brings together blind and visually impaired individuals of different ages, backgrounds, and visual conditions to share their personal stories.
The documentary features these stories expressed through a range of media, including poetry, creative writing, and music. Using creative, participatory methods, it captures authentic lived experiences and places these voices at the centre of the narrative. In doing so, the project challenges stereotypes, promotes nuanced understanding, and fosters meaningful societal and academic impact.
The documentary confronts common misconceptions about visual impairment, particularly the myth that blindness is synonymous with darkness. Instead, it highlights the richness and diversity of blind people’s lives, showcasing their capabilities and challenging limiting assumptions. In doing so, it offers an authentic and nuanced portrayal of their experiences.
The documentary was filmed by Bonsai Pictures, a local start-up company.
The rationale
Misconceptions about blindness can exacerbate the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals. Many people assume that blindness severely limits physical, social, and professional functioning, which can contribute to reduced participation in these domains. Another widespread misconception is that blindness entails complete vision loss; in reality, over 80% of visually impaired individuals retain some residual vision (Sabel, Flammer, & Merabet, 2018).
The project is guided by several core principles.
Central to this project is the principle of “nothing about us without us” (Charlton, 1998). In line with this, visually impaired individuals are empowered to tell their own stories, ensuring that lived experience remains at the heart of the work.
Blind participants lead the process, with Mandy and Tom acting as co-leaders of the workshops, while sighted academics take on a facilitative role.
The project prioritises realism by providing an authentic representation of blindness through firsthand accounts, while deliberately avoiding patronizing or tokenistic narratives.
It adopts a scientific mindset, examining whether participation in the experience can shift attitudes and reduce misconceptions about visual impairment.
Finally, the project aims to create meaningful impact by offering the broad community an engaging and enjoyable experience.
The process
Workshops were held in Liverpool and Worcester, led by visually impaired artists, including writer Mandy Redvers-Rowe and radio producer Tom Walker. These workshops gave participants the opportunity to share their personal experiences through poetry, creative writing, and other artistic forms. These contributions and recordings form the heart of the film. The result is an authentic perspective on the lives of visually impaired individuals, exploring both the challenges they face and the rich, varied—often unseen—realities of their everyday experiences.
The Film
Link to trailer
Outcome
These creative responses culminated in the documentary What Is Blindness? The World Unseen, which offers a rich, layered portrait of life with visual impairment. Rather than focusing solely on limitation, the film foregrounds autonomy, capability, and possibility, capturing both the challenges and the opportunities that shape everyday experience. Featuring voices across ages, backgrounds, and visual conditions, the documentary opens an intimate window onto the lived realities of blind and visually impaired people. Filmed by Liverpool-based start-up Bonsai Pictures, What Is Blindness? The World Unseen is a powerful intervention that asks audiences not just to look differently—but to listen more closely.
The film was was showcased at the following film festivals
London Breeze Film festival, 22-26/10/25;
iRoDi – International Festival "Reflection of Disability in Art", 28/11-5/12/25;
Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival, 17-22 February, Winnipeg, Canada
Screenings
The film was screened as part of as part of Bring Your Own Brain, the public engagement programme of the British Neuroscience Association Festival 2025 in Liverpool.
22nd April 2pm, FACT Liverpool
22nd April 6pm, FACT Liverpool
23rd April 2pm, FACT Liverpool
23rd April 7pm, FACT Liverpool
12th June 2pm, Liverpool Central Library
Each screening was followed by a Q&A session and interactive demonstrations, which featured contributions from:
Vicki Dwyer, Head of the Royal School for the Blind (RSB)
Josh Mulvaney, Habilitation Specialist at the RSB
Pippa Workman, Teacher at the RSB
Donna Healey-Sharpe, Deputy CEO and Rehabilitation Services Manager at Bradbury Fields
Mandy Redvers-Rowe and other participants featured in the documentary
Festivals
The film has been selected at the following film festivals:
“Winnipeg Real to Reel” Film Festival (Winnipeg, February 18th-23rd).
7th International Festival "Reflection of disability in art" 2025 (Thessaloniki, November 30th-December 7th).
London Breeze Film Festival 2025 (London, October 21st-November 2nd).
Contributors
Dr Irene Senna
Dr Magdalena Sliwinska
Dr Valeria Occelli
Mandy Redvers Rowe
Tom Walker
Blind and visually impaired individuals
Bonsai Pictures
The Royal School for the Blind
St Vincent’s School
Bradbury Fields
New College Worcester
Student Interns
Andreaa Cimpoiasu
Carlo Giordanengo
Thomas Travis
Funding
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England awarded to Dr Irene Senna (Liverpool Hope University), with additional financial support from Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool John Moores University, and Edge Hill University.
