INSPIRED by the warm response for the first simultaneous movie screening for the Deaf and Blind last year, SM Supermalls opened more theaters for the special screening to cater to more audience in other parts of the country.

From four theatres last year, SM’s Movies for the Deaf and Blind, the first of its kind in the country, has been expanded to 31 malls all over the country reaching more people with visual and hearing impairments.

Conducted in partnership with the Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), Deaf-Blind Support Philippines (DBSP), CALL Foundation and SM Cinemas, 31 malls held simultaneous screenings of movies especially suited for the deaf and blind. The movies featured an audio-description and closed captioning to benefit the visually impaired and deaf audience.

SM launched the program last 2013 with a single screening at the SM Megamall. Buoyed by the positive feedback, SM, through its corporate social responsibility arm SM Cares, expanded the program to four malls in 2014.

Edgardo “Bong” Garcia, President of DBSP, said they have initiated the project as it is part of their advocacy to provide accessibility of information and all forms of communication for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). “We want all mediums to be available to PWDs and that includes visual and audio entertainment for the Deaf and Blind because it allows them the simple pleasures of watching movies,” Garcia said.

“In audio-described movies, concise narration of action and key visual scenes is inserted into pauses in between dialogues for additional context to visually impaired watchers.

Closed captioning not only display spoken dialogue as printed words but also identify speakers, indicate sound effects, music and laughter for the benefit of deaf audience.”

This year, SM extended the program even more to include more malls and make the screening quarterly instead of just a once-a-year screening. Asked on why SM agreed to be a partner in the program, Bien Mateo, SM’s Vice President for Operations and Program Director of Disability Affairs of SM Cares explained that this is consistent with the thrust of SM in prompting inclusion rather than segregation.