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Blind Trek

Blind Trek is a 52’ documentary film that will track a group of 14 blind people from different continents and backgrounds as they attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. Half the climbers will come from Australia and the other half from South Africa.

View an interview with the climbers.

Stephen Hilton-Barber, a 26 year old South African has lived in Brisbane since 2006. His father Geoff, became blind before Stephen was born. Blindness has never stopped Geoff pursuing his goals and Stephen has never stopped being inspired by his dad. Stephen wants to share the experience of summiting Mt Kilimanjaro with other blind people so they too can reach new heights. 

Blind Trek is an exploration of human relations when the vision from eyesight is not at work. It will follow the recruitment, training and attempt to summit Kilimanjaro by 14 blind volunteers from Australia and South Africa. They will represent the racial composition of their countries. None will have climbed a mountain or been outside their home country.

Blind Trek will follow different types of relationships that will emerge during the journey between our blind people, their local guides and the individual support people. The film will look at stereotypes and prejudices that mark the world of the sighted ones where people judge others on the basis of physical appearance. But will there be prejudice if our blind people will not see the physical appearance of others?

Blind Trek will try to penetrate the inner world of blind people. We’ll explore how they relate to others not on the basis of physical appearance but other qualities - ones that sighted people may not perceive.    

Blind Trek will follow the paths of blind people who are prepared to take on a huge challenge to overcome their physical disability and show themselves and others that they can transcend their limitations, become heroes and inspire others. The film will also enable them to appreciate that they have valuable insights to teach others about alternative ways of perceiving.

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