Sunday 25 October 2009

FILMS: The diving bell and the butterfly.

The film is a true story based on a successful editor of Vogue Magazine, Jean Dominique Bauby suddenly as the age of 43 he has a massive stroke which has left him with 'Locked in syndrome'. This means his body is paralyzed but he has full functioning of his brain. He is trapped within his own body. The film is quite abstract but there are more representations within the film.
The film for me was quite personal, strokes are very common in my own family and it touched my heart deeply. I find communication a major part of my personality and it was reassuring to know that even thought he was paralyzed it was his self preservation that allowed him to look past self pity and achieve something. The film was from the viewpoint of Jean Do, that meant you were even more consumed within his existence and the feelings he was going through.
With the help of fantastic therapists he was able to communicate by blinking, he even wrote a book whilst in the hospital which showed immense determination. Although he died 10 days after the book had been published he had already achieved so much. Was he almost holding on, then finally he let himself go? I hope he did.
As part of the Silence project I am working on, this film didn't directly relate to my idea but it proved to myself that communication is a massive language, through our evolution and with the most difficult conditions we can communicate on many levels

His therapist who helped him develop a communication based on blinking to the letters of the alphabet to speak a word. It also shows that love and devotion play a large role in keeping someone alive and to pursue their own goals.

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