Let your imagination set you free.|May. 23, 2007|France|112 Min.|PG-13
Genre: Drama;History
Description: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, a 2007 film, is a poignant story told primarily from the perspective of its main character, Jean-Dominique Bauby, portrayed by Mathieu Amalric. Known as Jean-Do among friends, Bauby awakens from a three-week coma in a hospital in Berck-sur-Mer, France. Initially, doctors are optimistic, but a neurologist reveals that Bauby suffers from locked-in syndrome, a rare condition that leaves him almost entirely physically paralyzed while his mental faculties remain intact. The viewer experiences Bauby’s thoughts, which go unheard by others, as he perceives the world through his one functioning eye.
With the help of a speech therapist and a physical therapist, Bauby begins to regain some functionality. Unable to speak, he develops a communication system by blinking his left eye as the therapist reads a list of letters, allowing him to spell out messages painstakingly letter by letter. Over time, the film expands its perspective, showing Bauby from an external viewpoint and incorporating flashbacks to his past, including a visit to Lourdes. Bauby also engages in vivid fantasies, imagining beaches, mountains, and even an erotic encounter with one of his transcriptionists.
It is revealed that Bauby was once the editor of the French fashion magazine Elle and had a contract to write a book, initially intended to be a female-centric reinterpretation of *The Count of Monte Cristo*. Despite his condition, Bauby decides to write a book about his experience of being trapped in his body, using his laborious communication method. A representative from the publishing house assists him in dictating the book.
In his book, Bauby describes his life as akin to being confined within an old-fashioned deep-sea diving suit, referred to as a *scaphandre* in French, which inspired the film’s title. Yet, those around him perceive his spirit as a “Butterfly,” symbolizing his enduring vitality and resilience.
Cast director: Julian Schnabel
Cast actor: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais, Niels Arestrup, Olatz López Garmendia, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Marina Hands, Max von Sydow
Original name: Le scaphandre et le papillon