Cinema spends years serving visually impaired in Beijing

(ECNS) -- Xinmu Cinema in Beijing has played more than 1,000 films for about 40,000 visually impaired people since its establishment in 2005.

Xinmu, which means eyes of the heart, is considered as the “heaven” of the visually impaired. Compared with traditional cinemas, films played here include extra voices from volunteer narrators.

Wang Yuchan, one of the narrators, has narrated over 50 movies since she joined the volunteer team in 2017.

She explains the environment, character expressions and movements, all the scenery shots, turning points, and cast members during shows. She has a special notebook for recording outlines of movies she has narrated, introductions to these movies, and their cast members. In order narrate Unworried Store, Wang watched it seven times.

Wang likes watching films very much. She believes that film is a comprehensive art that enables people to enjoy themselves. “I hope the audience insists on ‘watching’ movies and tell their friends their feelings,” said Wang.

More volunteers like Wang at this cinema keep narrating movies for the visually impaired, hoping they can enjoy the movie experience.

Wang Weili, founder of the cinema, understands the needs of the visually impaired. “We know the price of being blind, the situation of the blind people, and the influence of blindness on our life. That’s why we can’t get over this defect,” said Wang.

He admits that many people think being blind is difficult, so they tend to care for them but ignoring what they think.

Narrating films is just a media through which blind people can compensate for information, replenish their spiritual needs and also better integrate with society, said Wang.

"We are not only helping the blind. We hope all the people involved and volunteers can enrich and change themselves and reflect on their values and social responsibilities by serving the blind. This is great,” Wang said.

According to data released by China Association of the Blind, China registered more than 17 million visually impaired people as of 2019.