POV, Unseen
PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):
Sunday, March 24, at 11 PM
Monday, March 25, at 4 AM
Fusion (WNEO 45.2 / WEAO 49.2):
Monday, March 18, at 10 PM
Saturday, March 23, at noon
Made over the course of seven years of friendship, UNSEEN begins as an observational journey of Pedro, an aspiring social worker who happens to be a blind undocumented immigrant, confronting political restrictions in order to get his college degree. Guided by a conversation between him and director Hernandez, UNSEEN explores Pedro’s relationships to everyone around him: his family who supports him while he studies to become a mental health professional, and his triathlon coach who encourages him on long distance bike rides. The film is a jagged quest towards healing in a society that struggles to see those with these challenges as multi-dimensional.
To personalize this story, Hernandez chose to shoot the documentary at times without a lens and with handheld cameras in order to craft an audio-first cinematic experience. Inspired by the experience of watching a film with audio description, UNSEEN’s often out-of-focus cinematography is not to simulate the experience of a blind viewer, but an invitation to watch a film by listening as opposed to seeing it visually.
