Last night I watched a gripping documentary from Independent Lens called THE EYES OF ME. The film “follows four visually impaired teenagers in Texas as they face the usual challenges of adolescence while simultaneously learning to navigate a world designed for the sighted.”

There are some wonderful vector-style animations peppered throughout the film that I thought really added to the overall quality and feel of the piece. Here is what producer/director/editor, Keith Maitland had to say about it:

People are always curious about the animation in THE EYES OF ME. It’s one of the most exciting elements of the film. I knew that rotoscopic animation would allow me to connect with a dreamlike state that many of the subjects described while differentiating those ideas from the vérité footage and interview segments that we were shooting. Because all four subjects had sight and then lost it, they were very adept at describing, in visual terms, the changes in their perception. The ideas for the animations were born out of organic conversations with the subjects over time. Through these talks, the four kids got to serve as consultants to the animation process. I think they really accomplish the goal of showing these teenagers’ inner visions of the outer world.

Definitely a great film on multiple levels. Check your local listings.