The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
“Let your imagination set you free.”
Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor-in-chief of French fashion bible Elle magazine, has a devastating stroke at age 43. The damage to his brain stem results in locked-in syndrome, with which he is almost completely paralyzed and only able to communicate by blinking an eye. Bauby painstakingly dictates his memoir via the only means of expression left to him.
Where to watch
Kanopy
Free
Hoopla
Free
JustWatch TV Store
Rent
Amazon Video
Rent · Buy
Apple TV Store
Rent · Buy
Google Play Movies
Rent · Buy
Your rating
Your review
Cast
28 people
Mathieu Amalric
Jean-Dominique Bauby
Known for
Quantum of Solace
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Emmanuelle Seigner
Céline Desmoulins
Known for
The Ninth Gate
Venus in Fur
Marie-Josée Croze
Henriette Durand
Known for
Into the Night
Tell No One
Anne Consigny
Claude
Known for
Elle
The Returned
Patrick Chesnais
Dr. Lepage
Known for
The Emperor of Paris
HIP - High Intellectual Potential
Niels Arestrup
Roussin
Known for
A Prophet
War Horse
Olatz López Garmendia
Marie Lopez
Also in
Before Night Falls
Jean-Pierre Cassel
Father Lucien
Known for
Asterix at the Olympic Games
Army of Shadows
Marina Hands
Joséphine
Known for
Taboo
Jappeloup
Max von Sydow
Papinou
Known for
Shutter Island
Minority Report
Isaach de Bankolé
Laurent
Known for
Casino Royale
Black Panther
Emma de Caunes
Empress Eugenia
Known for
Mr. Bean's Holiday
The Science of Sleep
Julian Schnabel Director · Ronald Harwood Screenplay Jean-Dominique Bauby Author
Worldwide gross $20M · Budget $14M · United States release November 30, 2007
Box office
Budget
$14,000,020
Worldwide gross
$19,777,647
Gross vs. budget
1.4×
Production
Pathé Renn Productions
Production
France 3 Cinéma
Production
The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Production
StudioCanal
Studio
Banques Populaire Image 7
Production
C.R.R.A.V. Nord Pas de Calais
Production
CinéCinéma
Production
Région Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Production
France · United States
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Le Scaphandre et le Papillon
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French
Release dates
France · May 22, 2007
Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
France · May 23, 2007
Theatrical
United States · November 30, 2007
Limited theatrical
United States · April 29, 2008
Physical · DVD
United States
January 31, 2025 · Physical · Blu-ray
Australia
November 17, 2007 · Theatrical
Austria
March 28, 2008 · Digital
Belgium
May 23, 2007 · Theatrical
Canada
April 29, 2008 · Physical · DVD
February 1, 2011 · Physical · Blu-ray
Czechia
July 5, 2007 · Premiere · Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
France
February 20, 2008 · Physical · DVD
February 26, 2008 · Digital · VOD
September 10, 2021 · Digital · Disney+
June 1, 2022 · Digital · Prime Video
Germany
March 27, 2008 · Theatrical
Greece
November 15, 2007 · Theatrical
Hong Kong SAR China
May 2, 2008 · Physical · DVD
Ireland
February 8, 2008 · Digital
Israel
February 7, 2008 · Theatrical
Italy
February 15, 2008 · Theatrical
Japan
October 25, 2007 · Digital
Netherlands
November 13, 2007 · Theatrical
Portugal
October 25, 2007 · Theatrical
Russia
February 28, 2008 · Theatrical
South Korea
February 14, 2008 · Theatrical
May 28, 2012 · Physical · Ein's M&M CO Blu-ray
Spain
April 23, 2014 · Physical · Blu-ray
Switzerland
May 23, 2007 · Theatrical
Taiwan
June 27, 2008 · Physical · DVD
United Kingdom
June 9, 2008 · Physical · DVD
More from Julian Schnabel
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.