Blindsight review

Talk about the blind leading the blind: this absorbing doc traces sightless American mountaineer Eric Weihenmayer as he leads six equally disabled Tibetan teens on an expedition to the 23,000-ft peak of Lhakpa Ri, near Mount Everest. British film-maker Lucy Walker isn’t just concerned with the formidable practical challenges of the high-altitude Himalayan trek: a sensitive interviewer, she’s able to get the children to talk about the prejudices they’ve encountered growing up in Tibet, where sightlessness is considered a punishment for sins committed in a previous life. What’s more, the ascent reveals a fascinating clash of values between the more gung-ho Americans (who are determined to reach the top) and the youngsters’ remarkable teacher Sabriye Tenberken, who sees the journey as an invaluable opportunity to boost her charges’ morale and self-confidence.