A blind actor from Kiama is proud to be "part of history" after working on Australia's first pictureless feature-length film made for the vision impaired, which will debut in Sydney on February 13.
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Unlike the usual movies screened at the cinema, Touch utilises sound to emphasise things like a person's expression or the colour of the sky to tell the whole story, according to the director's attachment Benjamin Phillips.
"It's a gift to be offered your dream role to direct a film that is just so deeply meaningful and can change the lives of others around the world," he said.
"When you can do something really rewarding like that in your life that makes it feel so worthwhile ... you can look back on your life and say 'yeah, I've helped others'."
The Illawarra man, who has been blind since birth, has ignored the naysayers and pursued a career in the television and film industry - including a role on Offspring (alongside Asher Keddie) - and is thrilled his latest project will shine a light for other vision impaired people to follow their dreams.
"If I was watching from a distance and seeing someone else in my role I would think 'wow, I would want that'," Phillips said.
"I want to be speaking up and let my voice be heard on how I would like to shake up filmmaking in the future."
He first got the acting bug as a child working on Roo Theatre productions and became determined to make it his career and even went on to form his own theatre company.
Phillips has been working with inclusive film school Bus Stop Films who helped facilitate Phillip's role on Touch and learn more about directing.
Through sound, Touch tells the story of a young man Ben who gets trapped in the consciousness of his father after an experiment goes wrong.
To escape, Ben must go on an epic adventure through his dad's memory, learning more about a man he thought he knew.
"[It's] a one-of-a-kind story that explores a man's mind, his memories, his tics - all without images," said director Tony Krawitz.
"The film has been designed for people to enjoy, and to enable people to experience what it's like not to have your vision to orient you. To make the audience use their ears as if they're detectives, gripped by what's going to happen next."
Alongside globally recognised talent and crew, the movie was produced with people who are blind or low vision, as crew or as project consultants.
Phillips hopes the movie can forge a path for more inclusive opportunities in the film industry in the future and see more people with disabilities hired for roles in front of and behind the camera.
"I feel I'm part of making history. I'd just love to see what the future holds."
The immersive and inclusive experience will premiere on February 13 at the Westpac OpenAir cinema (near Mrs Macquarie's chair) thanks to Mastercard, while 100 per cent of profits will go towards the charity Blind Citizens Australia.