Brailled It: Review

The Braille Challenge is an intense weekend of competition for the blind community. Every year, high schoolers from the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia travel to Los Angeles to battle it out in Braille literacy. Brailled It documents the Braille Challenge from the perspective of three blind teens as they make friends and go for the gold. It’s not just trophies but recognition within the Braille community, and for some, redemption for the previous competition. Yet what makes the documentary even more immersive is that the three competitors film all the footage, and the documentary features visual descriptions in voice-over, making Brailled It a film not just about the blind community, but one made for the blind community.

Meridith’s voice-over quickly introduces the documentary’s premise and experience. Chris, Salome, and Isaiah will have GoPros mounted to their chests as they compete, socialize, and navigate the Braille Challenge. As the three stories interweave, Brailled It offers a personal look at Braille not just as a language, but as a culture shaped by community, technology, and competition. Despite their different walks of life, teens bond over their shared love of learning and desire to push themselves beyond what others may think possible.

Brailled It is told entirely through visual descriptions and from the point of view of the three teens. While the documentary warns that the footage can be jarring or disorienting due to the camera placement, it’s through the unique POV that Brailled It allows for the most authentic look at each teen’s life. From casual conversations to new technology and even adaptations to daily life, the narrative shifts from competition to an exploration of blind culture. However, what allows exploration to flourish is how director Brendon Grabias and the editing team let the teens be teens; never cutting away from conversations about the future, food, or rivalries in the competition.

Brendon Grabias channels Morgan Spurlock-esque energy throughout Brailled It. The kinetic use of GoPros, the heightened stakes of competition, and the creation of a casual atmosphere for the convention experience: Grabias blends it all to craft a compelling documentary. But the film is at its most Spurlock in how its

Socially conscious, competition-driven, or convention-set documentaries can often feel formulaic. Yet, Brailled It bypasses conventions in favor of making a documentary “filmed by the blind for the blind.” It’s energetic, informative, and offers an up-close perspective on each teen’s journey and the community beyond. Explaining the Braille Challenge could use more concrete exposition to build a foundation, and some of the cuts between competitions are jarring. However, the thesis of community permeates each narrative, climaxing in a heartfelt awards ceremony. Brailled It feels tailor-made for Slamdance’s Documentary or Unstoppable sections; a film driven by access, authorship, and the radical idea of letting a community tell its own story.