When Sydney, Australia-based registered nurse and devoted tennis player Eliza-Jayne South received a diagnosis of glaucoma 25 years ago, she knew that challenges were ahead. Despite her vision impairment, she resolved to live life to the fullest, exploring various career paths and living overseas before settling in Broken Hill, New South Wales, where her film career began to flourish. Learn more of her adventurous life after receiving a glaucoma diagnosis.*

A Commitment to Trying New Things

To say that her life since then has been adventurous is not to say that it’s been easy. “The field of employment has narrowed as the years have gone by,” she shared in an interview. “Very few people will even look at employing somebody with a vision impairment.”

Leaving nursing, she tried her hand at copywriting, disability support work, and tele-sales before stumbling upon a completely new creative direction. 

In 2018, a visit to Broken Hill in New South Wales sparked a profound connection with the town, leading South to relocate there in 2019. Embracing her newfound community, she became involved with the local radio station, eventually hosting her own country music show and exploring audio production, under the mentorship of another visually impaired show host.

It was during this time that she caught the attention of local filmmaker Jason King, who approached her with a proposal to collaborate on a project funded by the state government’s Screenability program, which focuses on providing opportunities in the film industry for people with disabilities.

Embracing a New Direction

The collaboration resulted in Chum, a poignant short film partially inspired by South’s life experiences, and which she co-wrote. Premiering at the 2023 Sydney Film Festival, Chum garnered praise and accolades, including first place at Broken Hill’s Perfect Light Film Festival. 

Its success propelled South and King to international recognition, with the film set to debut at the Annapolis Film Festival in the United States. This opportunity not only marks a pivotal moment in their careers but also serves as a platform to promote inclusivity in the industry. 

“Not only do we get to showcase what regional filmmakers have to offer,” said King, “but we get to put people with disabilities at the forefront and show what they’re capable of.”

Hopes for the Future

Despite facing uphill battles, Eliza-Jayne’s determination and resilience underscore her commitment to forging a path where her vision impairment is not seen as a hindrance but as a testament to her creativity and talent.

Collaborating on Chum has enabled her to explore various positions in the film industry.

“I’ve been really lucky to get credits [as] a sound department attachment,” she said, “as well as an additional voice over artist, as well as a foley artist,” she said.

While working on the project and its promotion has been “heaps of fun,” South says that she doesn’t take the early success of the film for granted. 

She’s taken no income from Chum, and has been paying for her promotional trips out of her savings. With a range of career paths closed to her due to her disability, South hopes that she and King are able to drive enough interest in the project to transform it into a springboard to other, larger, opportunities.

“I’m surprised at how far we’ve come,” she says, “[but] I also know that if I don’t continually push and push, [these] opportunities for me and people in my position are going to dry out. So I’m doing this as an investment in myself to hopefully kickstart a new career for myself where maybe others don’t see my vision impairment as a hurdle.”

*Brown, O., Mercer, J., and Coggan, M. (2024, March 26). Broken Hill woman Eliza-Jayne South draws on degenerative glaucoma experience in new film. ABC News Australia. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-27/broken-hill-eliza-jayne-south-vision-loss-film-career/103635728