Same but Different

I swear it happens every year. Right around midsummer, I find myself wrapped up in beautiful little short films. I try to resist putting too many videos on this blog, but I do love the visual element they add, and some of them are too well done not to share. 

So, because I can't help myself, below is the link to a video that is part of the Emmy and BAFTA nominated series, "Same but Different", directed by David Barnes and Louise Lynch and broadcast on BBC2.

Because of rights issues, the video won't play directly on this blog, but give the box a click, and it'll send you over to Vimeo without a hitch.

This particular portrait is of Theo, a ten year-old boy who is visually impaired. His disarming honesty and matter-of-fact attitude are both poignant and light, and the treatment of disability in this video is pretty neat. It seems that in portrait documentaries like this, documentarians tend to push the focus away from the disability and on to the person instead, which is generally nice. But this film seems to do it the other way around. Theo talks about his life as it relates to his visual impairment, but through that exposition, his personality dominates the film in a wonderful way. 

Take a look! And sorry about the tricky link issue. :)

Same but different - Theo's Story from David Barnes on Vimeo.