On a chilly yet sunny Wednesday morning in Beijing, capital of China, Xu Wei, a visually impaired individual, joined around 40 other attendees, including people with various disabilities, at a community center in Xicheng District to "watch" the Chinese street dance film One and Only.

The screening experience was anything but typical. In between dialogue and sound cues, detailed audio descriptions explained what was happening on screen – describing the scenery, action and even the body language of the actors.

The version of the film shown was adapted by Guangming Cinema, a nonprofit volunteer-driven organization whose name translates to "light and brightness" in Chinese. The cinema specializes in producing accessible films for people with visual impairments.

"I've come here four times to enjoy these films. It really means a lot," Xu said. "The audio-described version allows not only people with vision loss, but also others with physical or cognitive challenges, to experience movies more fully." Xu, now in his fifties, was born with a visual impairment.

Wednesday's screening in Beijing was part of a nationwide initiative marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, held each year on December 3. This year, Guangming Cinema collaborated with more than 100 community cultural centers across China to host accessible film events.

China is home to over 17 million individuals with visual impairment, one of the largest visually impaired populations in the world, which highlights the scale and importance of such initiatives in the country.

Behind the scenes

Though the experience at Guangming Cinema may appear simple, the process behind creating accessible films is anything but. 

Founded in December 2017 by volunteers from the Communication University of China (CUC), the organization has involved over 800 faculty members and students over the past eight years in the production, promotion and distribution of accessible films.

To adapt a single 90-minute film, the team watches it multiple times – usually about 10 – to study every detail. After that, they draft a narration script, which can range from 20,000 to 30,000 characters, Fu Haizheng, one of the program's founders and a CUC teacher, said. 

He explained that such an adaptation process takes 28 days, during which three student volunteers, two mentors and one visually impaired participant work side by side to bring the accessible version to life. Guangming Cinema has already produced over 800 such films.

However, it is never easy to describe a movie to people with vision loss. Hu Fang, a volunteer, recalls an unforgettable moment when a child in the audience asked, "What is the color red?"

The question made her realize how little sighted narrators understand the world of visually impaired viewers. "What we take for granted may be completely unfamiliar to them," she said. From that point on, Hu and her fellow narrators focused on creating descriptions that not only matched the visuals but also conveyed how audiences perceive the world through sound.

"The improvements have been remarkable," praised Cao Jun, a visually impaired film enthusiast and deputy chair of the Beijing Association of the Blind. "The narration quality has improved rapidly – and the sound design is now more immersive and three-dimensional. The range of films has expanded from classics and blockbusters to animations, thrillers and more. Distribution has also grown from being limited to Beijing to reaching audiences across the country."

Reaching to more audience

Over the years, the project has organized screenings nationwide. Guangming Cinema's volunteers work closely with local disability organizations and schools to ensure the films reach as wide an audience as possible. After completing a film adaptation, the team provides it to partners who host screenings and connect with local audiences. Many of the films are also freely available on cable and online platforms.

The initiative has extended to all 2,244 special education schools across China. "Every year, we send each school a secure hard drive containing our accessible films," Fu said.

These screenings offer more than just movies – they also deliver a valuable social experience. "Accessible cinema adds color to our lives and gives us a reason to go out. Chatting with other visually impaired friends at these events is enjoyable, and it also gives us more to talk about with sighted people," Cao noted.

Fu said that, according to their surveys, the willingness of visually impaired people to watch Guangming Cinema films had increased from 13 percent to 63 percent within just a few years.

Looking ahead, Fu hopes that greater accessible guidance and support will help individuals with various disabilities – not just the visually impaired – enjoy films, exhibitions, museums and other cultural experiences, ensuring equal access to the arts for everyone.

(With input from Xinhua)