Mitchell (Benjamin Rosenberg, Australia, 2023) is a short film that explores questions of perception, motivation and individuality. Rather than laying out a plot, it invites viewers to consider themes around achievement, genetics and sensory disability, with particular attention to adolescence and vision impairment. The work offers a thoughtful, often intimate viewpoint that prompts fresh ways of seeing what makes someone unique. Shown as part of the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival, Mitchell sits alongside other films that highlight the abilities and experiences of people with disability, encouraging audiences to reflect on how we understand difference and accomplishment.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Mitchell. Yes? Tap your microphone. That's working. That's funny, Mitchell. Sorry. Okay, um, basically, I have a genetical disorder, as it were, central vision loss, and then over time, it just spreads and spreads. There's so much wattle overgrown the thingy-majiggy. Biggest rock explosion ever. So what's the best thing about this place? Probably just it being quiet, you know, without any distractions, so you can just do what you want to do, eat food, explore, build something. You don't have to do it with all the commotion around you. ♪ ♪ ♪ So basically, I try and observe whatever I can where I am and then try and avoid whatever's going to be dangerous, but then I also try and remember whatever I ride past so that when I ride there again, I know that it's there, so I don't go towards it. So, yeah. Imagine you have kind of a tennis ball-sized object. It doesn't move, but it's stationary, but wherever my eyes go, it goes. So if I was looking at a teacher and they had a whiteboard behind them and I looked at their nose, it would look like they didn't have a head and it was just a whiteboard behind them. But in the very middle, like with textures and stuff, what I would see would be a plain colour of all those details. It could be a family problem. It could even be Piper, Billy, Mabby, Mimi. Usually, everyone has the stage lights in their eyes and the crowd is kind of hard to see because of all that, but for me, I don't have that pressure of seeing the audience and being like, ooh, they might look at me funny because I don't see them, so I forget about them, and just be me and do what I like. Chris, where is that sandwich? I haven't told you about my other theory. So basically, at night time, my vision kind of does a funny thing where because there's lack of colour and brightness, it kind of gets confused and puts colour in there, so I see a bunch of flashes of colour and like fireworks pretty much and it kind of just dances around in my vision. It's fun to just watch the colours and see what they do. Take off. The low point has been updated. Please check it on the map. I guess I have something that can, like, that makes me me now. Like, I'm not just another average dude. Like, I have something unique that's pretty good and I think that's made my life a little bit better. I think that's what makes me me. And I think that's made my life more full, in a way. It's just what I got, so don't waste time being sad about it. Just make it part of your life and make it a good thing. Yeah, that's what I think. .
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by Benjamin Rosenberg - OPEN ENTRANT DOCUMENTARIES
