The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Le Scaphandre et le Papillon
“Let your imagination set you free.”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2012-01-19
Top Cast
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Mathieu Amalric
Jean-Dominique Bauby
Emmanuelle Seigner
Céline Desmoulins
Marie-Josée Croze
Henriette Durand
Anne Consigny
Claude
Patrick Chesnais
Dr. Lepage
Niels Arestrup
Roussin
Olatz López Garmendia
Marie Lopez
Jean-Pierre Cassel
Father Lucien
Marina Hands
Joséphine
Max von Sydow
Papinou
Isaach de Bankolé
Laurent
Emma de Caunes
Empress Eugenia
Jean-Philippe Écoffey
Doctor Mercier
Gérard Watkins
Doctor Cocheton
Nicolas Le Riche
Ninjinski
Théo Sampaio
Théophile
Fiorella Campanella
Céleste
Talina Boyaci
Hortense
Release History & Theatrical Window
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
November 30, 2007
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 29, 2008
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$14M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$19.8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.41x
+$5.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Julian Schnabel
- Screenplay & Story
- Ronald Harwood
- Original Score
- Paul Cantelon
- Original Title
- Le Scaphandre et le Papillon
- Country of Origin
- France, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- French
- Runtime
- 1h 52m
- Production Budget
- $14M
- Worldwide Gross
- $19.8M
- Production Studios
- Pathé Renn Productions, France 3 Cinéma, The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Julian Schnabel
Ronald Harwood, Jean-Dominique Bauby
Paul Cantelon
Janusz Kamiński, Roland Savoye
Juliette Welfling
Kathleen Kennedy, Jon Kilik, Pierre Grunstein, Jim Lemley
Department Leadership Roster
Julian Schnabel
Director
Kathleen Kennedy
Producer
Jon Kilik
Producer
Ronald Harwood
Screenplay
Janusz Kamiński
Director of Photography
Juliette Welfling
Editor
Olivier Bériot
Costume Design
Paul Cantelon
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested.
Nudity • Mature Theme • Coarse Language
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:48 UTC+8)*
European Cinema
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
Limelight Not Seen
***Dramă***
Filmes Adultos
Filmes eróticos.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly about?
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.
Who directed The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was directed by Julian Schnabel.
Who stars in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
The principal cast of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly includes Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais.
When was The Diving Bell and the Butterfly released and how long is it?
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was released in 2007 with a total runtime of 1h 52m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly had a reported production budget of $14M and grossed $19.8M at the worldwide box office (1.41 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was composed by Paul Cantelon.
Is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly based on a book or true story?
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is adapted from the following source material: Book: "Jean-Dominique Bauby".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).