The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Review by Erica Beinhacker

Directed by Julian Schnabel

Based on true events, this inspiring and touching film is a celebration of the power of and the unquestionable need for communication, and the strength and willpower of the human resolve to overcome adversity. When Jean-Dominique Bauby suffers a massive stroke that renders him paralysed from head to toe, a new method of communication is required for him to retreat back to “normal”. Through stunning performances and great precision of the craft, Schnabel tells us to take life as it is and make of it what you can in an incredibly nuanced and thought-provoking manner.