Beaks here...

Fernando Meirelles's adaptation of Jose Saramago's BLINDNESS played to mixed reviews at this year's Cannes Film Festival, but when you've got CITY OF GOD and THE CONSTANT GARDENER lined up on your filmography, benefit of the doubt is a given. Though Meirelles got a late start on his feature filmmaking career (he'll turn fifty-three this November), he's quickly established himself as one of the most visually gifted directors working today, and this new theatrical trailer for BLINDNESS (available in many shapes and sizes from Apple) only reinforces my admiration for the guy (and his brilliant DP Cesar Charlone, who's somehow avoided the call of Hollywood).

Will Saramago's extremely complex study of a society gone mad in the face of a mysterious "white sickness" behave at a length of two hours? Considering Meirelles's talent for conveying a world of meaning with a single shot, I'll believe it until I see it. Miramax is currently has the film scheduled for release on September 26th.