The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
Kernel Score: 86% · 1,251 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Drama, History
Released: 2007-05-23
Runtime: 112 minutes
Where to watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Hoopla
- Rent: JustWatch TV Free, Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
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.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a serious drama about a man living with locked-in syndrome after a stroke.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
If you liked The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Three Colors: Blue (1993) — 88%
- Fathers and Daughters (2015) — 79%
- Awakenings (1990) — 88%
- The Prestige (2006) — 95%
- Landscape in the Mist (1988) — 84%
- Munich – The Edge of War (2021) — 77%
- Belfast (2021) — 79%
- The Zone of Interest (2023) — 80%
Director
Julian Schnabel
Cast
- Mathieu Amalric as Jean-Dominique Bauby
- Emmanuelle Seigner as Céline Desmoulins
- Marie-Josée Croze as Henriette Durand
- Anne Consigny as Claude
- Patrick Chesnais as Dr. Lepage
- Niels Arestrup as Roussin
- Olatz López Garmendia as Marie Lopez
- Jean-Pierre Cassel as Father Lucien
- Marina Hands as Joséphine
- Max von Sydow as Papinou
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly FAQ
Is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly good?
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly has an 86% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 1,251 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on Kanopy and Hoopla and rent it from JustWatch TV Free, Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play.
Is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly OK for kids?
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a serious drama about a man living with locked-in syndrome after a stroke.
What movies are like The Diving Bell and the Butterfly?
If you liked The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, try Three Colors: Blue, Fathers and Daughters, Awakenings and The Prestige.