Main stars excited to ‘watch’ themselves on the big screen

PETALING JAYA: The stars of local film Eye On The Ball were excited to finally “watch” themselves on the big screen during the film’s gala premiere yesterday.

The film tells the inspiring story of the Malaysian national blind football team members, who were given a rousing ovation by the star-studded audience at the end of the screening.

“It feels surreal to know so many people are watching the story of our lives, but I’m glad that the response we’ve received so far has been positive,” said Mohd Azwan Azhar, one of the footballers featured in the film.

“The production team spent two years filming us for the documentary, and I was curious to learn how we were going to be portrayed. From what I’ve ‘seen’ tonight, they did a good job in telling our story,” he said.

One of the players, Rollen Marakim, had a pleasant surprise when R.AGE, the team behind the Eye On The Ball project, flew his parents over from Kudat, Sabah, to watch the film with him.

“I feel ecstatic and proud that my parents got to watch this film about my team, because it was not an easy journey to get where we are today.

“I’m excited and nervous to hear what the audience has to say because what they will watch on screen is our life,” said Rollen.

He hopes the film will shift Malaysians’ perspectives towards the blind community and give them more opportunities to express their talents.

“The audience might be surprised or even shocked at our football abilities as a lot of sighted people assume that our disability is an obstacle. But for us, our disability makes us unique and stand out,” said Rollen.

During the gala, the blind footballers were treated to a special “audio description” screening, which includes a narration to help the visually-impaired better understand the scenes unfolding on screen.

“I cringed every time I heard my voice in the film, but I am also excited that the audience’s reaction to the story has been positive,” said Mohd Asri Arshad, one of the main stars of the film.

He added that he and his teammates are excited for the public to learn more about blind football, and to lend their support to para athletes.

“The film production was a unique experience for me, and I am most impressed with the team that managed to produce a compelling and touching story of our journey.

“I hope the film would give awareness to the public on what the blind community is capable of doing, and at the same time, I also want it to inspire and motivate blind people to pursue their dreams,” he said.