The Movie: A massive stroke leaves magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby completely paralysed, suffering from the rare condition known as locked-in syndrome. Unable to communicate except by blinking, he overcomes his sense of despair and suicidal thoughts by working on a book about his life and how it feels to be a prisoner inside his own body. What Makes It Original: The incredible cinematography by Janus Kaminski is the first thing that strikes the viewer when watching The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - notably the opening segment, in which the shots are largely from the perspective of Bauby as he awakes in hospital after the stroke and comes to understand his condition, create a shocking and immersive experience of how such a terrible ailment would feel. Julian Schnabel's inventive direction matches his sensitive and earnest approach to the subject matter and the result, far from being depressing, is something of an ode to the triumph of the human spirit against all odds.
