Directed by Gina LeVay Goldstein, following Shawn Cheshire, an army veteran, Blind Paralympic champion and world-record holder, as she takes on an unprecedented 3,600-mile cross-country bike journey on a single, non-tandem bicycle. As she adapts to new ways of navigating both her physical terrain and personal history, Shawn’s experience showcases the creative ways blind athletes develop innovative techniques for independent movement.
Getting the obvious out of the way first, the feat which Shawn Cheshire achieves within Blind AF is ridiculously impressive. The level of concentration it requires, and the physical and mental strain that she has to put herself through to reach the finish line, demonstrates a remarkable amount of bravery and fortitude. It definitely should not go underappreciated how frightening that experience would be for most people, and was for Cheshire, with the pressure of high speed, large vehicles passing by, rocky terrain, unpredictable weather, and the possibility of unexpected obstacles at any moment.
It portrays the definition of determination, and while that journey is at the heart of Blind AF, it’s not the only story that it has to tell. This documentary isn’t simply about Cheshire’s experience as a blind athlete, it’s also an exploration of mental health and trauma. It’s particularly interesting to see Cheshire and her team actively looking for solutions and techniques to manage her mental health and the triggers that she’s likely to encounter during this challenge. Representing how completely unrelated experiences can still generate a response rooted in trauma, requiring a lot of pro-active management and awareness. That in itself can be exhausting to self-regulate, let alone while in the middle of a 3,600-mile cross-country bike journey.
While that does come with a lot of sadness, as Blind AF delves into the difficult path which Shawn Cheshire has fought her way through, there is also plenty of hope to be found. One interesting example being how Gina LeVay Goldstein employs techniques throughout the film to demonstrate more succinctly Cheshire’s experience and perspective. Using animation to capture how she creatively navigates obstacles. It also gives a more personal feel, not simply observing, actively trying to portray her experience from her perspective.
Blind AF captures Shawn Cheshire’s journey but also portrays the fight to keep moving forward in the face of trauma. Especially because of how relentless Cheshire is, even detrimentally so at certain points. It’s captivating to learn of how Cheshire forged a new path for herself after losing her sight, creating an entirely different life and finding new passions and challenges. As well as how she creatively approaches those challenges, both physically and mentally. It’s a genuine example of fortitude, strength and resilience.
