Partially dramatised and hugely acclaimed documentary Notes on Blindness is set for release in UK cinemas on July 1st, and features Dan Skinner as academic John Hull.

After losing his sight in the early 1980s, John Hull knew that if he did not try to understand blindness it would destroy him, so in 1983 he began keeping an audio diary, recording over 16 hours of material which to this day stands as a unique testimony of loss, rebirth and renewal.

Published in 1990, the diaries inspired an Emmy Award-winning short film in 2014, which has now led to a full length feature, in which actors lip-sync to the voices of Hull and his family, embedding John’s original audio recordings within compelling cinematography and textured sound design, documenting John’s extraordinary journey into ‘a world beyond sight’. Sadly, John passed away last year at the age of 80, and the film is dedicated to the memory of this outstanding man.

The film has received rave reviews at its limited screenings so far, and won the Special Jury Award at the 59th San Francisco Film Festival. The UK cinema release on 1st July will be preceded by a series of one-off screenings this month, and followed by a US release later in the year. For a full list of screenings, visit the film’s official website. You can also keep up with the film on Facebook and Twitter, and watch the trailer below.