​Believing in the importance of connecting people with special needs, including the blind and visual impaired into the Egyptian society and securing their simple right to enjoy a normal life, Commercial International Bank-Egypt (CIB) in partnership with Zawya Art House Cinema screened the well-known cartoon animation “Hotel Transylvania 2” with live audio description, in collaboration with Masreya Media. The screening, which took place on March 28th, hosted more than 150 children with visual impairment from the schools of Taha Hussein, Mostafa Assaker and Alnour Wal Amal, in addition to the Fagr El Tanweer Association and Al-Markaz Al-Namoozagy for the Blind. The children enjoyed this unique cinema experience for the first time.

This is in fact the third screening with audio description offered to the blind and visually impaired. CIB supported the two screenings of Youssef Chahine's classical epic Al Nasser Salahaldin with audio description, in June 2015. The two events witnessed an outstanding participation of attendees who described this experience as a valuable one and the first of its kind in Egypt.

CIB’s sponsorship reflects the Bank’s strategy to support all outstanding initiatives that aim to promote the artistic culture and knowledge in the society, developing the aesthetic sense through classic, fine arts and music and importantly, shaping the minds and talents of Egyptian youth. This explains the significance of the Bank’s partnership with Zawya, which was launched by the Misr International Films  in March 2014 as the first art-house cinema in Egypt. Zawya does not only focus on supporting and promoting local independent films and the work of young Egyptian and Arab filmmakers, but it also gives special attention to the concept of Education and Cinema, developing a strong educational program in collaboration with schools and universities in Egypt. 

It’s worth mentioning that audio description is an increasingly popular technique that allows films, television programs, operas, theatre performances and exhibitions to be accessible to blind and visually impaired people. It involves additional narration that is used to describe scenes, body language, facial expressions and costumes, thus filling in the necessary blanks for this spectrum of citizens.