Mathieu Almaric as Jean-Dominique Bauby (Miramax)
Jean-Dominique Bauby was 43-years-old when he suffered a stroke and was diagnosed with a rare condition known as "locked-in syndrome." In Bauby's case, this meant that he was left entirely paralyzed except for his left eye. But with that one good eye he managed to blink out the dictation of his memoirs called
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
(opening December 25 at Landmark's Hillcrest Cinemas). The deep sea diving bell is how Bauby visualized himself trapped within his own body, and the butterfly represents his escape. Now his memoirs arrive on screen. Check out my interview with director Julian Schnabel, writer Ronald Harwood, and actor Mathieu Almaric.
