Blindness
Brief Synopsis
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It begins in a flash, as one man is instantaneously struck blind while driving home from work, his whole world suddenly turned to an eerie, milky haze. One by one, each person he encounters--his wife, his doctor, even the seemingly good Samaritan who gives him a lift home--will in due course suffer the same unsettling fate. As the contagion spreads, and panic and paranoia set in across the city, the newly blind victims of the "White Sickness" are rounded up and quarantined within a crumbling, abandoned mental asylum, where all semblance of ordinary life begins to break down. But inside the quarantined hospital, there is one secret eyewitness: one woman who has not been affected but has pretended she is blind in order to stay beside her beloved husband. Armed with increasing courage and the will to survive, she will lead a makeshift family of seven people on a journey, through horror and love, depravity and beauty, warfare and wonder, to break out of the hospital and into the devastated city where they may be the only hope left.
Cast & Crew
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Fernando Meirelles
Director
Joe Pingue
Julianne Moore
Gael García Bernal
Jason Bermingham
Sari Friedland
Film Details
Also Known As
Cegueira, Ensaio Sobre A Cegueira
MPAA Rating
Genre
Adaptation
Drama
Foreign
Thriller
Release Date
2008
Production Company
1927 Audio; Alamo Sound Studios; Arte & Magia; Ascot Elite Entertainment Group; Banco Nacional; Bank Of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, Ltd.; Barcelona Filmes; Bee Vine Pictures; Blue Sky (Czech Republic); Cherto & Carvalhaes Advogados; Cinecidade; Cinema Sound; Cm Entertainment; Eastern Script Service, Inc.; Eastman Kodak; El Camino; Empire (Romania); Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Entertainment Partners; Estudio Acustico; Estudios Mega; Film Finances, Inc.; Fintage House; Focus Features; Focus Features; Focus Features; Focused On Food; Fujifilm; Fulstandia; Goldcrest; Goldcrest Post Production; Jones Brown Inc; Kodak; Long Shong Group; Megacolor; Metropolis Post; Mixone Studios; Movie Central; Moving Track; Musitelli Camara & Luces; Northern Signals Inc.; O2 Filmes; Para Movimentos; Performance Solutions; Polaris Star Suites Inc.; Portaro Advogados Associados; Ps Production Services; Ps Production Services Ltd; Quanta; RCV Distribution; Rancho Relaxo; Rec Studio; Rhombus Media, Inc.; Sandrew Metronome Distribution Sverige Ab (Sweden); Shaw Organization; Shuttle Freight Logistics; Soundtrack Group; TTlTfilm Canada; Tattersall Sound & Picture; Technicolor; Technicolor Digital Intermediates; Tellavision; Vox Mundi; Yazbek
Distribution Company
MIRAMAX; 20th Century Fox International; Acme Film; Best Film; Budapest Film; Clmc Multimedia Sa; Empire; Filmladen Gmbh; Gaga Communications (Parent); Intercom; Italia Films; Kinepolis Film Distribution; MIRAMAX; Mikado Film; Miramax Home Entertainment; Odeon S.A.; PathT International; Sandrew Metronome Filmdistribution As; Sidus Fnh; Ster-Kinekor; StudioCanal; Studiocanal; Tiglon A.S.; Vertice Cine; Village Roadshow Limited
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Sao Paolo, Brazil
Technical Specs
Duration
2h
Synopsis
It begins in a flash, as one man is instantaneously struck blind while driving home from work, his whole world suddenly turned to an eerie, milky haze. One by one, each person he encounters--his wife, his doctor, even the seemingly good Samaritan who gives him a lift home--will in due course suffer the same unsettling fate. As the contagion spreads, and panic and paranoia set in across the city, the newly blind victims of the "White Sickness" are rounded up and quarantined within a crumbling, abandoned mental asylum, where all semblance of ordinary life begins to break down. But inside the quarantined hospital, there is one secret eyewitness: one woman who has not been affected but has pretended she is blind in order to stay beside her beloved husband. Armed with increasing courage and the will to survive, she will lead a makeshift family of seven people on a journey, through horror and love, depravity and beauty, warfare and wonder, to break out of the hospital and into the devastated city where they may be the only hope left.
Director
Fernando Meirelles
Director
Cast
Joe Pingue
Julianne Moore
Gael García Bernal
Jason Bermingham
Sari Friedland
Daniel Zettel
Danny Glover
Kelly Fiddick
Mitchell Nye
Rick Demas
Gerry Mendicino
Alice Poon
Maury Chaykin
Bathsheba Garnett
Yusuke Iseya
Martha Burns
Mark Ruffalo
Amanda Hiebert
Antonio Fragoso
Isai Rivera Blas
Eduardo Semerjian
Mike G-yohannes
Carol Hubner
Nadia Litz
Marvin Karon
Tom Melissis
Domingos Antonio
Alice Braga
Agi Gallus
Toni Ellwand
Daniel De Paula Galvao
Lead Man
Joe Cobden
Gonzalo Barbe
Lead Man
Mel Ciocolato
Fabiana Gugli
Niv Fichman
Fernando Macario
Matthew Fitzgerald
Douglas Silva
Matt Gordon
Susan Coyne
Tracy Wright
Eduardo Parisi
Jorge Molina
Oscar Hsu
Victoria Fodor
Yoshino Kimura
Robert Bidaman
Sandra Oh
Patrick Garrow
Mariah Inger
Cica Meirelles
Joseph Motiki
Otavio Martins
Plinio Soares
Michael Mahonen
Rodrigo Pessin
Johnny Goltz
Norm Owen
Billy Otis
Fernando Patau
Rodrigo Arijon
Joao Velho
Joris Jarsky
Marcio Ribas
Lead Man
Mpho Koaho
Heraldo Firmino
Lilian Blanc
Jackie Brown
Linlyn Lue
Scott Anderson
Don Mckellar
Anthero Montenegro
Crew
Katie Abbott
Craft Service
Paulo Abel
Location Manager
Cristina Abi
Production Coordinator
Gerardo Gonzalez Aguirres
Assistant Camera
Paulo De Tarso Akamine
Foley Artist
Micaela Alaniz
Production Assistant
Ilona Alfaro
Wardrobe
Julie Allain-launay
Art Assistant
Eliseo Alvarez
Unit Production Manager
Simone Alves
Rerecording Assistant
Valentina Rodriguez Amado
Wardrobe Assistant
Lisa Amaral-wright
Props Assistant
Jose Adolpho Amarante
Videotape Operator
Cecilia Amorim Ambrosoni
Art Director
Cynthia Amsden
Unit Publicist
Joao Paulo Andrade
Post-Production Assistant
Renee April
Costume Designer
Claudia Apud
Assistant Art Director
Arrigo Araujo
Production Assistant
Radames Araujo
3-D Artist
Diego Arduino
Transportation Coordinator
Maria Helena Arneiro
Craft Service
Diego Arsuaga
Camera Operator
Mary Arthurs
Property Master
Keisuke Asada
Casting
Eduardo Decio Augusto
Driver
Daniela Antonelli Aun
Production Secretary
Evan Ayotte
Wardrobe
Guilherme Ayrosa
Sound Mixer
Agustin Aznarez
Assistant Director
Gregorio Aznarez
Production Assistant
Nicolas Aznarez
Line Producer
Johann Sebastian Bach
Song
Sybele Badran
Rotoscope Animator
Maria Noel Fernandez Baez
Production Secretary
Mariana Martini Bagarollo
Casting Assistant
Marina Balarin
Stand-In
Martin Santiago Forcella Balbi
Special Effects
Juan Fco Baldomir
Legal Services
Jesse Balzan
Carpenter
Alonso Banales
Carpenter
Kashka Banjoko
Hair Stylist
Kevin Banks
Music Editor
Israel Alves Barbosa
Wardrobe
Reginaldo Barbosa
Assistant
Robeto Baroboskin
Stunt Performer
Alexandre Barros
Music
Klaus Bartram
Assistant Location Manager
Marcello Bartz
Transportation Coordinator
Israel Basso
Grip
Renato Batata
Compositing Supervisor
Andre Batista
Assistant
Lex Batten
Film Lab
Chris Bell
Business Affairs
Marcela Bellini
Assistant
Leslie Bentancor
Dresser
Cesar Javier A Bento
Electrician
Dario Alonso Bento
Gaffer
Elena Berdichevsky
Stand-In
Julio Berkenstein
Pilot
Bel Berlinck
Coproducer
Gael García Bernal
Song Performer
Pablo Berti
Assistant Camera
Zena Bielewicz
Assistant Camera
James Binkley
Stunt Performer
Matt Birman
Stunt Performer
Tiago Bittencourt
Boom Operator
Thiago Vilas Boas
Compositing Supervisor
Ze Bob
Loader
Adam Bocknek
Assistant Director
Patricia Dalla Bona
Assistant
Luiz Bonfa
Song Performer
Sandie Bornstein
Accountant
Gustavo Bouzas
Coach
Deirdre Bowen
Casting
Darren Boyce
Key Grip
Eduardo Braga
Assistant
Geisa Brait
Rotoscope Animator
Fernanda Brenner
Art Assistant
Jonathan Brown
Best Boy Electric
Randy Brown
Generator Operator
Julio Brunerau
Construction Manager
Daniel Buelmo
Assistant Set Decorator
Gal Buitoni
Clearance Coordinator
Fabio Burtin
Assistant Camera
Claudia Bnschel
Associate Producer
Marilia Scharlach Cabral
Assistant Camera
Nicolas Cabrera
Graphics Coordinator
Luis Caires
Assistant
Leandro Calazans
Music
Nelson Calazans
Pilot
Rosalind Callahan
Driver
Paul Cameron
Grip
Maria Macarena Durquet Cammaratto
Dresser
Juan Campomar
Legal Services
Amaro Campos
Best Boy Grip
Aline Canella
Wardrobe
Aruan Canolla
Coach
Shawn Cantelon
On-Set Dresser
Florencia Canton
Makeup Assistant
Felipe Arnaut Cappellini
Production
Pablo Cardoso
Driver
Toti Cardoso
Electrician
Willian C Carlos
Driver
Lea Carlson
Wardrobe
Rafael Carmona
Location Manager
Stephen Carr
Driver
Louis Casado
Color Timer
Gaston Casas
Assistant Location Manager
Alessandra Casolari
Post-Production Supervisor
Rodrigo Castellar
Unit Production Manager
Wilson Castro
Models
Teresa De Jesus Catalani
Dresser
Rossana Brancaccio Cedres
Contact Lenses
Inara Censig
Stand-In
Alejandro Centurion
Grip
Lula Cerri
Assistant Camera
Bengoaivanna Cestau
Assistant
Simon Channing-williams
Executive Producer
Simon Channing-williams
Line Producer
Ctsar Charlone
Dp/Cinematographer
Ctsar Charlone
Director Of Photography
Ctsar Charlone
Camera Operator
Daniel Charlone
Unit Production Manager
Maria Elena Eliash Charlone
Wardrobe Assistant
Penny Charter
Assistant Director
Kevin Cheng
Clearance Coordinator
Cristina Cirne
Art Department Coordinator
Gaston Colominas
Greensman
Cartaz Comunicacao
Unit Publicist
Cris Conceicao
Assistant Camera
Andy Condon
Sound Department
Sue Conley
Adr/Dialogue Editor
Sierra Constantinides
Wardrobe Assistant
Joana Cooper
Assistant Director
Ciaran Copelin
Assistant Camera
Ana Marina Costa
Graphics Coordinator
Claudio Costa
Music
Daniel Costa
Driver
Marcelo Cotrim
Location Manager
Gabriel Couto
Painter
Jose Carlos Couto
Painter
Scott Cowan
Assistant Camera
Rob Crawther
Motion Control
Esli Leal Da Cruz
Finance Manager
Glauco Cruz
Coordinator
Mario Crystal
Adr
Alvaro Cuevas
Best Boy
Sebastian Carlos M Cuevas
Electrician
Carlos Cunha
Driver
Enzo Cunha
Wardrobe
Caue Custodio
Sound Mixer
Marcos Rogerio D. Silva
Grip
Lucio Da Costa
Driver
Wagner Augusto Da Costa
Stunt Performer
Adao A Da Silva
Driver
Ednaldo Da Silva
Driver
Jorge Eduardo Da Silva
Art Assistant
Michel Jorge B. Da Silva
Driver
Andrew Daley
Props Assistant
Bob Davidson
Gaffer
Matthew Davies
Production Designer
Greg Davis
Grip
Nadia Day
Production Coordinator
Pablo Laporte De Armas
Production Assistant
Joshu De Cartier
Art Director
Andrezza De Faria
Unit Production Manager
Ademir C De Jesus
Driver
Cecilia Homem De Mello
Casting
Ricardo De Mello
Best Boy Electric
Ikaro Eduardo De Moraes
Stunt Performer
Davi Brito De Oliveira
Art Assistant
Luiz De Oliveira
Assistant Camera
Pedro Luiz De Santana
Electrician
Drika Castro De Souza
Models
Sebastian Deanes
Grip
Lucas Decina
Music
Tyler Delben
Assistant Director
Ricardo Della Rosa
Photography
Maximiliano Destro
Stand-In
Shaun Dewet
Liaison
Sonya Di Rienzo
Coordinator
Horacio Carlos Silva Di Verio
Loader
Joao Santos Do Amaral
Camera Trainee
William Ivan Do Amaral
Props
Victoria Dobson
Wardrobe Supervisor
Dwight Doerksen
Construction Coordinator
Ed Doerksen
Carpenter
Fernando Ap. Dos Santos
Driver
Marcos Antonio Dos Santos
Pilot
Pat Duchesne
Film Lab
Eduardo Augusto Duque
Assistant Camera
Rolando Duque
Boom Operator
Pedro Arias Duran
Stand-In
Fiorella Durante
Assistant
Natalia Dure
Wardrobe Assistant
Karen Durrant
Wardrobe
Maria Jose Diaz Dutra
Assistant Location Manager
Christian Duurvoort
Coach
Gail Egan
Executive Producer
Film Details
Also Known As
Cegueira, Ensaio Sobre A Cegueira
MPAA Rating
Genre
Adaptation
Drama
Foreign
Thriller
Release Date
2008
Production Company
1927 Audio; Alamo Sound Studios; Arte & Magia; Ascot Elite Entertainment Group; Banco Nacional; Bank Of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, Ltd.; Barcelona Filmes; Bee Vine Pictures; Blue Sky (Czech Republic); Cherto & Carvalhaes Advogados; Cinecidade; Cinema Sound; Cm Entertainment; Eastern Script Service, Inc.; Eastman Kodak; El Camino; Empire (Romania); Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Entertainment Partners; Estudio Acustico; Estudios Mega; Film Finances, Inc.; Fintage House; Focus Features; Focus Features; Focus Features; Focused On Food; Fujifilm; Fulstandia; Goldcrest; Goldcrest Post Production; Jones Brown Inc; Kodak; Long Shong Group; Megacolor; Metropolis Post; Mixone Studios; Movie Central; Moving Track; Musitelli Camara & Luces; Northern Signals Inc.; O2 Filmes; Para Movimentos; Performance Solutions; Polaris Star Suites Inc.; Portaro Advogados Associados; Ps Production Services; Ps Production Services Ltd; Quanta; RCV Distribution; Rancho Relaxo; Rec Studio; Rhombus Media, Inc.; Sandrew Metronome Distribution Sverige Ab (Sweden); Shaw Organization; Shuttle Freight Logistics; Soundtrack Group; TTlTfilm Canada; Tattersall Sound & Picture; Technicolor; Technicolor Digital Intermediates; Tellavision; Vox Mundi; Yazbek
Distribution Company
MIRAMAX; 20th Century Fox International; Acme Film; Best Film; Budapest Film; Clmc Multimedia Sa; Empire; Filmladen Gmbh; Gaga Communications (Parent); Intercom; Italia Films; Kinepolis Film Distribution; MIRAMAX; Mikado Film; Miramax Home Entertainment; Odeon S.A.; PathT International; Sandrew Metronome Filmdistribution As; Sidus Fnh; Ster-Kinekor; StudioCanal; Studiocanal; Tiglon A.S.; Vertice Cine; Village Roadshow Limited
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Sao Paolo, Brazil
Technical Specs
Duration
2h
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Fall October 3, 2008
Released in United States on Video February 10, 2009
Released in United States 2008
Shown at Vancouver International Film Festival (Galas) September 25-October 10, 2008.
Based on the novel "Ensaio Sobre A Cegueira" by Jose Saramago; published by Harvill Press in 1995.
Project was included on the 2007 Black List.
Released in United States Fall October 3, 2008
Released in United States on Video February 10, 2009
Released in United States 2008 (Shown at Vancouver International Film Festival (Galas) September 25-October 10, 2008.)
