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Director Fernando Meirelles' Brings Blindness

by Alex Billington
September 13, 2006

Director/screenwriter Fernando Meirelles' next project is an adaptation of the book "Blindness" written by Portuguese Nobel Prize winner Jose Saramago (source via Variety). "Blindness" is a philosophical thriller about an epidemic of blindness that overtakes a modern unnamed city. The epidemic eventually forces society to the brink of breakdown. Meirelles will begin filming next summer in his hometown of Sao Paolo, and additionally in Toronto, under a $25 million budget. Meirelles will only direct; the script is being written by Canadian Don McKellar.

As I hope many others out there agree, Meirelles created a masterpiece with City of God. And although The Constant Gardener, his "next" film released last year, received some positive reviews, for the most part it was overshadowed by the excellence of City of God. That's the problem with Meirelles work; although he is very capable, everyone compares everything he makes to City of God. And it's such an immeasurable comparison to any other films that it just doesn't allow his newer ones to be critiqued for what they are. Blindness sounds like an interesting twist on the typical films that Meirelles makes showing real life, and rather a bit of a thriller. And this time around I hope everyone won't harshly compare it against City of God and will look at it in its own light.

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