Usłyszeć obraz, zobaczyć świat – o potencjale doświadczenia kinowego u osób z deficytem wzroku

In the discussion on visual culture accessibility for people with visual impairments, Andrzej Jakimowski’s Imagine is a unique production that shows the potential of cinematic experience communicated through audio description – a solution rarely exploited to such an extent in Polish cinematography. This article analyses various stages of preparation in this international film production, with each providing an original creative response to the needs of the visually impaired: from the script focused on the presence of the blind in society to the promotion and distribution strategies that guaranteed the full participation of visually impaired viewers in the film screenings from the day of its premiere. Cognitive film theories by Julian Hochberg, Virginia Brooks, and Peter Ohler enable an in-depth reflection on the alternative perception of film – in this case based on sound. The author of the article pays particular attention to the message of Imagine as a film that not only recognises the visually impaired as full-fledged viewers but above all appreciates their way of perception as potentially more valuable than the automatic – habitual – perception of people with regular vision. As a result, Imagine seems to be a work that is not only fully accessible, but also original, valuable, and crucial. The success of this production should serve as an inspiration for other filmmakers.