Blind and Low Vision movie goers will have an easier time heading to the movies in Sydney as Guide Dogs NSW helps make Westpac’s Open Air cinema accessible.
The pop-up cinema will be set up over the summer months at Fleet Steps at Mrs Macquarie’s Point in the Sydney Botanic Gardens.
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has been working alongside the staff at Open Air to make the venue as accessible as possible for people with vision loss.
That includes creating 2D maps of the venue that will support the use of the wayfinding digital app BindiMaps.
The staff of OpenAir are also receiving training on how best to offer support and assistance to people who are blind or have low vision attending the event.
The cinema is also set to premiere the movie TOUCH, Australia’s first feature-length motion picture without pictures.
Directed by Tony Krawitz, TOUCH tells the story of a young man, Ben, and his friends who get trapped in the consciousness of Ben’s father, Frank, after an experiment goes wrong.
The movie has been created for people with low vision and those who are blind and makes use of immersive sound to create an inclusive cinematic experience.