Le Papillon Bleu

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."

- Hans Christian Anderson -
The Blue Morpho (source of image)
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Yesterday evening I went to L'Alliance Française to see a Canadian film called "Le Papillon Bleu" (The Blue Butterfly) by Léa Pool.

Lovely film. A simple (based on a true) story containing warmth, humour, hope, lovely camera close ups of forest insects ... and unexpected suspenseful moments which had me and several other audience members jumping and crying out in our seats. I imagine it would not be as impacting on a small screen.

Amazing to learn in the note at the end that the little boy's healing after visiting the forest is part of the true story.

The true-life quest of a terminally-ill ten-year-old boy who longs to capture the most beautiful butterfly on the planet comes to life on the screen in a touching drama directed by Léa Pool and starring Academy Award-winner William Hurt. In order to appreciate life to its fullest, an ageing entomologist learns that sometimes all you have to do is come out of your cocoon. When the young boy's mother convinces the renowned insect-expert to accompany her son on the journey of a lifetime, the courage that the terminally-ill child shows in realizing his dream inspires a man who has lived his entire life in a lab to get outside, connect with his fellow man, and experience the wonder of nature firsthand.

(Source of summary)