LUX publikuauhinna finalistfilmi „Kurt“ linastus kinos Artis ja ligipääsetavuse tagamine

Pöördumine tehti Euroopa Parlamendi LUX-auhinna meeskonna, Euroopa Parlamendi Eesti büroo ja Kino Artise poole. Pöördumine tunnustab Lux Audience Award’i tasuta linastust kinos Artis ning kurtidele ja vaegkuuljatele kohandatud subtiitreid, mis pakuvad helide kirjeldusi, kuid juhib tähelepanu, et linastuse sissejuhatus ja linastuse alguses olnud videopöördumine olid siiski ilma subtiitrite ja/või viipekeeletõlketa. Kirjas palutakse tagada Euroopa Parlamendi rahastatud üritustel ligipääsetavus ka sissejuhatavates tegevustes (nt kõned, kirjeldused vms) ning pakutakse tuge teenusepakkujate kontaktide, nõustamise ja lühikese ligipääsetavuse kontrollnimekirja koostamisega. Vaata LuX publikuauhinna teisi finaliste: https://luxaward.eu/et

The accessibility advocacy adviser at the Estonian Chamber of People with Disabilities (EPIKoda), together with colleagues and collaboration partners, attended a Lux Audience Award screening at Kino Artis. The film conveyed the layered nature of being human, showing how feelings of exclusion and isolation can arise in society with or without disability, and how these experiences are shaped by different forms of communication.

The film description noted that the subtitles were adapted to the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers (including information about sounds). This is very welcome, and it is also excellent that the screenings are free of charge, thank you for enabling that!

At the same time, two accessibility concerns stood out during the screening:

• The introduction to the screening was delivered in Estonian without sign language interpretation and subtitles (this could be arranged as a service or using automatic subtitles developed especially for Estonian language) or before-hand info. As the film itself illustrated, lip-reading (especially in a dim cinema auditorium) is not accessible for deaf audiences. Sign language interpretation can be arranged through interpreting service providers (e.g. Viipekeeletõlgid OÜ in Tallinn). All relevant accessibility measures are best identified and agreed in consultation with the target groups when preparing for events.
• Before the film began, also a video message from Member of the European Parliament Jüri Ratas was shown without subtitles and without sign language interpretation, which made this part of the content effectively inaccessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.

Going forward, I kindly ask that European Parliament´s funded events, especially when the content concerns people with disabilities and accessibility, ensure accessibility also in introductions and additional content: sign language interpretation for introductions and subtitles for all videos (some content might or might not need subtitles for hard-of-hearing).

I kindly ask you to contact us if you would like contacts for sourcing these services, for example deaf-led providers for sign language interpretation for videos, advise on the needs and feasible options or connect you with the associations and unions in the Estonian Chamber of People with Disabilities network for further co-operation. If helpful, I could prepare a short checklist for future screenings outlining the minimal accessibility measures that have the greatest impact in cinema settings.