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The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
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Synopsis
The astonishing true-life story of Jean-Dominic Bauby - a man who held the world in his palm, lost everything to sudden paralysis at 43 years old, and somehow found the strength to rebound - first touched the world in Bauby's bestselling autobiography The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (AKA La Scaphandre et la papillon), then in Jean-Jacques Beneix's half-hour 1997 documentary of Bauby at work, released under the same title, and, ten years after that, in thisCannes-selected docudrama, helmed by Julian Schnabel (Basquiat) and adapted from the memoir by Ronald Harwood (Cromwell). The Schnabel/Harwood picture follows Bauby's story to the letter - his instantaneous descent from a wealthy and congenial playboy and the editor of Elle Paris, to a bedbound, hospitalized stroke victim with an inactive brain stem that made it impossible for him to speak or move a muscle of his body. This prison, as it were, became a kind of "diving bell" for Bauby - one with no means of escape. With the editor's mind unaffected, his only solace lay in the "butterfly" of his seemingly depthless fantasies and memories. Because of Bauby's physical restriction, he only possessed one channel for communication with the outside world: ocular activity. By moving his eyes and blinking, he not only began to interact again with the world around him, but - astonishingly - authored the said memoir via a code used to signify specific letters of the alphabet. In Schnabel's picture, Mathieu Almaric tackles the difficult role of Bauby; the film co-stars Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny and Patrick Chesnais. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Cast

Anne Alvaro Betty
Niels Arestrup Roussin
Jean-Pierre Cassel Father Lucien
Patrick Chesnais Doctor Lepage
Patrick Chesnais Dr. Lepage
Isaach de Bankolé Laurent
François Delaive Nurse
Jean-Philippe Ecoffey Doctor Mercier
Jean-Philippe Ecoffey Noirtier de Villefort
Lenny Kravitz Lenny Kravitz
Francoise Lebrun Madame Bauby
Emmanuelle Seigner Celine Desmoulin
Emmanuelle Seigner Céline Desmoulin
Max von Sydow
Max von Sydow Papinou
Max von Sydow Young Papinou
Michael Wincott Michael Wincott
Jean-Baptiste Mondino Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Anne Consigny Claude
Agathe de la Fontaine Inès
Mathieu Amalric Jean-Dominique 'Jean Do' Bauby
Mathieu Amalric Jean-Dominique Bauby
Zinedine Soualem Joubert
Emma de Caunes Empresse Eugénie
Azzedine Alaia Azzedine Alaia
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre Diane
Marina Hands Josephine
Marina Hands Joséphine
Marie-Josée Croze Henriette Durand
Marie-Josée Croze Henriette Roi
Olatz Lopez Garmendia Marie Lopez
Gerard Watkins Doctor Cocheton
Marie Meyer Model
Philippe Roux Auxiliary Nurse
Nicholas Le Riche Nijinski
Theo Sampaio Théophile
Fiorella Campanella Céleste
Franck Victor Paul
Talina Boyaci Hortense
Georges Roche Fourneau
Yves-Marie Coppin Fisherman
Daniel Lapostolle Auxiliary Nurse 1
Francis Filloux Night Nurse
Elvis Polanski Jean-Do as a Child
Sara Seguela Paraplegic at Lourdes
Vasile Negru Violinist
Ilze Bajare Model
Anna Chyzh Model
Antoine Breant Jean-Baptiste Mondino's Assistant
Farida Khelfa Farida Khelfa

Production Crew

Michel Eric Art Director
Leonard Glowinski Associate Producer
Jean-Dominique Bauby Book Author
Gilbert "Berto" Lecluyse Camera Operator
Gerard Moulevrier Casting
Janusz Kaminski Cinematographer
Paul Cantelon Composer (Music Score)
Olivier Beriot Costume Designer
Julian Schnabel Director
Juliette Welfling Editor
Jim Lemley Executive Producer
Pierre Frunstein Executive Producer
Pierre Grunstein Executive Producer
Stephane Gluck First Assistant Director
Mikaël Monod Gaffer
Laure Moulin Hair Styles
Thierry Di-Cecca Hair Styles
Christian Gruau Key Hairstylist
Myriam Hottois Key Make-up
Francois-Xavier Decraene Line Producer
Jean-Noël Vincensini Location Manager
Julien Durguel Location Manager
Stéphanie Noël Location Manager
Chloé Van Lierde Makeup
Elisabeth Delesalle Makeup
Florence Batteault Makeup
Sandrine Cirilli Makeup
Geoffrey Felley Makeup Special Effects
Olivier Alonso Makeup Special Effects
Julian Schnabel Musical Direction/Supervision
Virginia Anderson Post Production Supervisor
Jon Kilik Producer
Kathleen Kennedy Producer
Laurent Ott Production Designer
Michel Eric Production Designer
Francois-Xavier Decraene Production Manager
Christian Gazio Properties Master
Ronald Harwood Screenwriter
Sylvette Baudrot Script Supervisor
Mathilde Cavillan Second Assistant Director
Alain Pitrel Set Decorator
Laurent Ott Set Designer
Michel Eric Set Designer
Dominique Gaborieau Sound/Sound Designer
Francis Wargnier Sound/Sound Designer
Jean-Paul Mugel Sound/Sound Designer
Joerg Widmer Steadicam Operator
Pascal Guégan Stunts Coordinator
Roland Savoye Underwater Photography
Stéphen Guillemet Unit Production Manager
Jenny Eclair Visual Effects
Malika Mazaurie Visual Effects Supervisor
Yann Blondel Visual Effects Supervisor
Year: 2007
Runtime: 114
Country: France
MPAA Rating: PG13
for nudity, sexual content and some language
Category: Feature

Genre
Drama

Sound
Dolby Digital
DTS

Produced by
France 3 Cinema
Pathe Renn Production

Release
December 19, 2007 (USA - Limited)
by Miramax Films
Pathe Distribution

Awards
- Best Foreign Language Film - Boston Film Critics Association
- Best Foreign Language Film - Boston Society of Film Critics
2007 - Best Picture - Los Angeles Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Los Angeles Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Picture - New York Film Critics Online
2007 - Best Foreign Film - San Francisco Film Critics Circle
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Washington D.C. Area Film Critics
2007 - Best Picture - Broadcast Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Broadcast Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Golden Globe
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Chicago Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Picture - American Film Institute
2007 - Best Picture - Southeastern Film Critics Award
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Southeastern Film Critics Award
2007 - Best Picture - Detroit Film Critics Society
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - St. Louis Gateway Film Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Film - Oklahoma Film Critics
2007 - Best Non-English Language Feature - Utah Film Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Florida Film Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Film - Las Vegas Film Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - San Diego Film Critics
2007 - Best Picture - National Society of Film Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - National Society of Film Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Toronto Film Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Phoenix Film Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Film - Alliance of Women Journalists
2007 - Best Picture - Dallas/Ft. Worth Critics
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Golden Globe
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Kansas City Film Critics
2007 - Best Picture - Ohio Film Critics
2007 - Best Picture - Producers Guild of America
2007 - Film Presented - Karlovy Vary International Film Festiva
2007 - Film Presented - Toronto International Film Festival
2007 - Film Presented - San Sebastián International Film Festiv
2007 - Film Presented - New York Film Festival
2007 - Film Presented - Chicago International Film Festival
2007 - Film Presented - Vancouver International Film Festival
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Washington D.C. Film Critics Associatio
2007 - Best Picture - Southeastern Film Critics Circle
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Southeastern Film Critics Circle
2007 - Film Presented - Tokyo International Film Festival
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Associat
2007 - Best Foreign Film - Oklahoma Film Critics Circle
2007 - Best Foreign Film - Las Vegas Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - San Diego Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Toronto Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Phoenix Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Picture - Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Associat
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Kansas City Film Critics Association
2007 - Film Presented - London Film Festival
2007 - Film Presented - AFI Fest
2007 - Best Picture - Southeastern Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Southeastern Film Critics Association
2007 - Best Foreign Film - Alliance of Women Film Journalists
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Hollywood Foreign Press Association
2007 - Best Foreign Language Film - Boston Society of Film Critics