Brailled It Opens in U.S. Theaters, Turning 1,100-Student Braille Challenge Into a Blind-Led Documentary
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 4
Brailled It Opens in U.S. Theaters, Turning 1,100-Student Braille Challenge Into a Blind-Led Documentary
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 4
Summary
"Brailled It" has opened in select U.S. cinemas, following the 2024 Braille Challenge finals at USC through footage shot largely by blind student competitors themselves.
David Grabias handed cameras to participants instead of using a conventional crew, and three students — Salome Cummins, Christopher Morgan and 10-year-old Isaiah Gauthier — are credited as directors alongside him and Brendon Schulze.
The film centers on a high-pressure literacy contest that drew more than 1,100 students, with braille reading, audio instructions and braillers replacing standard exam booklets and answer sheets.
That first-person approach produced unusually intimate scenes of stress, independence and humor, while also showing the challenge as a rare space where blind and visually impaired children are celebrated rather than marginalized.
The Braille Challenge has run for 26 years and involved about 22,000 students worldwide; a UK release date for the documentary has not yet been announced.