Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (2007)

This hodge podge of present, past and imagination through the eyes of a stroke victim is one of the most beautifully shot films I have ever seen.

French fashion magazine editor has one window on his life: his left eye. But his perspective becomes very profound as he reflects on his recent past, the present, his family, his relationships, and his life.

The moments of solitude, despair and patience moved me the most. Unable to move anything on his body except one eyelid, he can't kiss his children, he can't tell jokes, he can't change the channel. . . His thoughts, memories and imagination buoy his desire to live. He communicates this to a scribe one letter at a time by blinking when the letter is recited. His story is published in a book by the same title as the film.

As mentioned, the cinematography stuns. We move from behind the eye of our narrator to blond hair blowing in a convertible to an underwater diving bell to flying over the desert to the beaches of northern France. Nothing is taken for granted anymore, the beauty of each moment is captured in the most sensitive manner.

Truth: The most precious parts of life are those that sustain life.

Official Site | IMDB