International Competition

Notes on Blindness

Peter Middleton, James Spinney
Screening time  
24.02. / Monday, 14:00 - 16:00 Theatre 5  
28.02. / Friday, 17:00 - 19:00 Theatre 3  
01.03. / Saturday, 22:00 - 00:00 Theatre 2  
Cognition is beautiful!

In the summer of 1983, just days before the birth of his first son, writer and theologian John Hull went blind. For the next three years he would keep a diary on audiocassette – an intimate record that deconstructs his experience of blindness in relation to his family, his identity and his faith. They were published in 1991 to critical acclaim. The neurologist Oliver Sacks describes the work as ‘the most extraordinary, precise, deep and beautiful account of blindness I have ever read. It is to my mind a masterpiece.’ Notes On Blindness: Rainfall uses Johnʼs original audio as narration – the very first time his recordings have been heard in public.

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Peter Middleton

Over the past three years Peter Middleton and James Spinney have made a number of successful short films together. Their first short Audiobook (2010) was nominated for the 2010 Virgin Media Shorts, followed by Everyday is Like Sunday (2011) which was nominated for the 2011 Sunday Times First Light Awards. In 2012 their drama short Wavelengths (2012) won Best Film at the Short Cuts Film Festival and was nominated for Film London’s Best of Boroughs Awards. They are currently developing their debut feature Into Darkness.

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James Spinney

Over the past three years James Spinney and Peter Middleton have made a number of successful short films together. Their first short Audiobook (2010) was nominated for the 2010 Virgin Media Shorts, followed by Everyday is Like Sunday (2011) which was nominated for the 2011 Sunday Times First Light Awards. In 2012 their drama short Wavelengths (2012) won Best Film at the Short Cuts Film Festival and was nominated for Film London’s Best of Boroughs Awards. They are currently developing their debut feature Into Darkness.

General sponsor

Notes on Blindness

Great Britain, USA, Australia
2013, 12', DCP

Directed by:
Peter Middleton, James Spinney

Cinematography:
Gerry Floyd

Edited by:
Peter Middleton, James Spinney

Music:
James Ewers, Michael Murray

Producers:
Jen Kerrison, Peter Middleton

Produced by:
Fee Fie Foe Films

Festivals & Awards:

Hot Docs 2013 – Best Short; DOK Leipzig 2013; Camden International Film Festival 2013; EDINDOCS Documentary Film in Edinburgh 2013; Melbourne International Film Festival 2013; Sydney International Film Festival 2013; Open City Docs 2013; London Short Film Festival 2013