Sep 15 set as deadline for audio, visual aids for needy people watching films

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has announced that by September 15, all films must incorporate accessibility features for persons with hearing and visual impairments, specifically for public exhibition in theatres.

This announcement was made during a conference held on Saturday at SRV Preview Theatre in Bengaluru. While addressing the gathering, Yashwant Shehnai, Regional Officer of the CBFC, stated that the Central Government has issued guidelines aimed at achieving universal access to cinema.

The objective is to ensure that films are accessible to persons with hearing and visual impairments. As a result, cinemas will need to include accessibility features such as open or closed captioning, Indian Sign Language for the hearing impaired, and audio descriptions for the visually impaired.

Initially, films in more than one language must adopt these features by September 15, 2024. Shehnai added that cinemas should reserve 2% of seating for visually and hearing impaired individuals.

Shehnai mentioned the development of apps and tools designed to improve subtitle versions for deaf viewers, allowing them to follow the film's actions and context in theaters.

When questioned about how uneducated deaf individuals would manage to read captions, and whether films would only be accessible to educated audiences, Shehnai responded that for such individuals, sign language is the best option. He noted that future efforts would focus on enhancing this feature.

Currently, mirror captions can be provided, where the movie's captions are projected at the back of the cinema, with mirrors available to those who can read and understand subtitles. Starting January 1, 2025, feature films participating in festivals must include accessibility standards.

By September 15, 2026, all theatrical feature films will be required to provide these features. Producers must ensure that films submitted for certification include the necessary accessibility features. Other attendees included Saransh Jain, an Assistant Professor of Audiology from Mysuru, among others.

Time insufficient: Rockline Venkatesh

In a conversation with News Trail, Rockline Venkatesh expressed concerns about the timeline for implementing these changes in the Kannada film industry.

He stated, "It's not easy to implement this soon. We need at least two years. Once a film is shot, a lot of additional work needs to be done. I’m not concerned about the cost, but it requires more time for editing. Regarding the 2% reservation, how can we have an accurate count? We can’t limit access to theatres. What if more people come? What about translation? It’s difficult to ensure their perspective is fully captured. Many issues may arise, so the CBFC should work with us to find solutions."