Calling for more audio described cinema screenings in Northern Ireland

Audio described screenings enable children and young people like Erny to enjoy the cinema experience alongside family and friends.

The accessible screenings feature a narrated audio track played through personal headphones, describing on-screen visual elements during dialogue gaps.

14 year old Eryn who is severely sight impaired and loves a good movie, recently had to travel over 140 miles - from Enniskillen to the Odeon cinema at Victoria Square in Belfast - in order to be able to enjoy a showing of the Magic Faraway Tree, alongside her two younger sisters.

We were contacted by Eryn’s mum, asking for help in addressing the lack of audio described screenings at cinemas across NI.

Mum Evanna said, “I have been wanting to take my daughter to watch the Magic Faraway Tree movie as she grew up listening to the audiobooks.
I reached out to our local cinema IMC Enniskillen, Omniplex Omagh and Dungannon, but none of those places offer the audio description headsets.
I even went further afield and tried others but was disappointed to find out that the [nearest] cinema in N Ireland that offer this service was the Odeon in Victoria Square.

“We had hoped that our local cinema would have been able to cater for her needs among others within the visually impaired community. Was just saddened to learn that they weren’t.”

“She has actually used these headsets before but it was a number of years ago in England and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

Evanna added: “It’s just a pity the other cinemas haven’t taken the whole community into consideration.”

Eryn said: "The service would be extremely beneficial to not just me but all those within the visually impaired community. All cinemas have access for wheelchair users to enjoy a movie. What about us?

Media, Culture, and Immersive Technologies Manager for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), John Paton, said: "We were saddened to hear Eryn and her family had to travel from Enniskillen to Belfast in order to see an audio described screening of their chosen film, the Magic Faraway Tree, over the Easter break.

"A trip to the cinema is such a popular outing for families, and an experience everyone should be able to enjoy at their local cinema. Providing an option to listen to audio description alongside other cinema goers, ensures an inclusive experience for children and adults with sight loss.

"Audio description in cinemas across NI has been patchy over the years. We are working to assess the current situation and how we can work with our local network of cinemas to ensure children, teenagers and people of all ages with visual impairment can have an enjoyable, accessible experience at their local cinema, alongside family and friends."

"We understand provision of this service does involve an additional cost to cinemas. However we would hope that cinema exhibitors, and indeed those film distributors responsible for providing audio description tracks, value the positive impact an investment in this technology makes for young people such as Eryn, and for generations to come, who simply want to enjoy a trip to the cinema alongside their family and friends.

"We would hope that smaller sites could avail of help in funding the installation and maintenance of audio description technology.

"We would welcome further conversations on increasing access to audio described screenings at local cinemas in Northern Ireland. "RNIB has been part of the core stakeholder group responsible for getting AD up and running in the cinemas and continues to be part of the UK Cinema Association’s Disability Working Group.

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