For the first time ever in the Bay of Plenty, there will be an open caption movie screening specifically for our hard of hearing and deaf community.
Hearing Support Bay of Plenty and Sonic Cinema have teamed up, and will be playing ‘The Duke’ on Sunday, April 28 from 1.30pm at The Historic Village Cinema.
This screening will have assistive captioned text throughout the duration of the film, providing an inclusive viewing experience for those with hearing loss.
Cinema loving
“Enjoying the full movie experience in a cinema can be difficult for those with hearing loss,” says Hearing Support BOP Tauranga manager Helen Rodgers.
“While sound in general is heard, speech clarity of is often difficult to pick up and so a lot of the plot can often missed.”
Helen hasn’t been to a cinema herself in about 20 years due to hearing difficulties and needing the assistance of captions.
“To see a movie, actually out at the movies – rather than just sitting at home watching Netflix with subtitles – will be great.”
Some of our region’s cinemas offer individualised transcribing ‘machines’ for people with hearing loss, but they don’t include captions on the actual cinema screen, says Helen.
“As far as we’re aware, this is the first time this type of open caption screening is happening in the BOP,” says Sonic Cinema manager Melanie Mills.
Banding together
Melanie says Sonic Cinema has been facilitating low-sensory cinema events in The Village Cinema since 2017.
“These events cater for members of our community who have alternate sensory, neurological or physical needs, where going to the movies can prove to be a challenge.
“At Sonic Cinema, we always consider the sensory needs of our clients to provide a comfortable and inviting cinema experience.”
“After meeting Helen last year, the open-captioned cinema event concept was something we thought was serendipitous with the mission and values Sonic Cinema advocates for,” says Melanie.
The film screening Helen and Melanie have chosen for later this month is ‘The Duke’ – an uplifting and inspiring British film set in the 1960s, based on the true story of Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old taxi driver who stole Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London.
Bunton sent random notes stating he’d return the painting on the condition the Government invested more in care for the elderly.
Regular movie goers
“Hopefully, if this event is well-received, we can activate regular Sunday matinee film screenings for our hard of hearing and deaf community,” says Melanie.
“We’d really like to make it a more regular event where people become almost like a little film club; then they can start making suggestions of movies they’d like to see,” says Helen.
“It’s all about inclusion and accommodating for needs that haven’t been met with enjoying a film at the cinema,” says Melanie.
Bookings are essential.
Spouses, partners and whanau are welcome to attend, and snacks will be available to purchase at the cinema too.
For more information and to book, visit: www.theincubator.co.nz/event-details/the-duke or email: tauranga@hearing.org.nz