Where to Watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) in the US

What it's about

Forty-three year old Elle magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby - Jean-Do to his friends - awakens not knowing where he is. He is in a Berck-sur-Mer hospital, where he has been for the past several weeks in a coma after suffering a massive stroke. Although his cognitive facilities are intact, he quickly learns that he has what is called locked-in syndrome which has resulted in him being almost completely paralyzed, including not being able to speak. One of his few functioning muscles is his left eye. His physical situation and hospitalization uncomfortably bring together the many people in his life, including: Céline Desmoulins, his ex-lover and mother of his children; Inès, his current lover; and his aged father who he calls Papinou. Among his compassionate recuperative team are his physical therapist Marie, and his speech therapist Henriette. Henriette eventually teaches him to communicate using a system where he spells out words: she reads out the letters of the alphabet in descending order of their use in the French language, and he blinks his functioning left eye when she reaches the appropriate letter. Although frustrating at start, he learns to communicate effectively but slowly using this method, so much so that with the help of Claude, a full time translator, he decides on the monumental and seemingly impossible task to keep to his pre-injury commitment of writing a book, changing its focus to life in his current state.

Cast and crew

Director

Julian Schnabel

Writer

Ronald Harwood, Jean-Dominique Bauby

Starring

Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze

Details

Release date

Feb 1, 2008

Language

French

Country

France, United States

Box office

$6,003,227

Awards

Nominated for 4 Oscars. 68 wins & 107 nominations total

Where to Watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) in the US — common questions

Where to watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly in the United States?

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is available free with a participating library card or to rent in the United States. Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla and Kanopy (HD). Rent the movie on Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, and Prime Video.

Can I stream The Diving Bell and the Butterfly or do I have to rent it in the United States?

Rent the movie on Apple TV Store, Fandango at Home, and Prime Video.

Can I watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly for free in the United States?

Watch the movie free with a participating library card on hoopla and Kanopy (HD).