Farewell My School

Lintang is 11, and for seven years now he has been attending a school in Jakarta for children with a visual handicap. And he loves it there. He is almost completely blind, and his best friends can see nothing at all. Lintang explains that he's got "low vision," and he can only distinguish things from extremely close-up. Several shots illustrate what the young Indonesian protagonist can actually see, and it's not very much. But Lintang and his friends have grown accustomed to all the challenges that come with being blind, and they spend their days swimming, playing outside and making music. Everyone at school knows Lintang is the best drummer there, but their music lessons come to an end when Lintang's parents decide he should go to a regular school. After all, he is a very independent 11-year-old who can cook, do laundry and shop for groceries all by himself. As the day of departure approaches, the camera follows Lintang and his buddies, both at school and in their happy free time together. The boys are more concerned about the approaching separation than about their inability to see. They practice together for Lintang's spectacular farewell performance.