After receiving a life-altering news that three of their children are diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa and have to live with severe visual impairment, French Canadian couple Edith Lemay and Sébastien Pelletier and their three children Mia, Léo, Colin and Lauren set out on a journey around the world to experience beauty while they still can. ‘Blink’ follows the family’s journey as they travel through 24 countries, experiencing life to the fullest. The documentary is directed by Edmund Stenson and Academy Award winner Daniel Roher (Navalny).
‘Blink’ will have its world premiere at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024.
Release Date
Directed by Edmund Stenson and Daniel Roher, ‘Blink’ will open in over 150 theaters in the U.S. and Canada beginning Oct. 4. Cities include (but are not limited to) Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Toronto, Houston, Austin, Chicago and the Pelletier family’s hometown of Montreal. Blink will debut on National Geographic Channel and stream on Disney+ and Hulu later this year.
Synopsis
Blink features French Canadian couple Edith Lemay and Sébastien Pelletier and their children Mia, Léo, Colin and Laurent. Mia developed eye problems at the age of 3 and was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 7, a rare, incurable disease that leads to severe visual impairment. When her younger brothers Colin and Laurent received the same diagnosis, the family’s world changed forever. In the face of this life-altering news, they set out on a journey around the world to experience all its beauty while they still can.
Initially delayed by the global pandemic, the family revised their plans countless times before setting out in March 2022 without an itinerary. They worked together to compile a bucket list of destinations and activities that guided their travels, with no idea too out there: swimming with dolphins, hot air ballooning, surfing, seeing the sunrise on a mountain, and Laurent’s suggestion to drink juice on a camel. “We never found out where this crazy idea came from, but it was very dear to him and made us all laugh,” Lemay said.
The film follows the family over the course of a year as they traverse 24 countries, filling their visual memories with breathtaking locations and once-in-a-lifetime encounters. Their destinations included Botswana, Cambodia, Canada (Montreal and Kuujjuaq), China, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Laos, Namibia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, South Korea, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States (New York City), Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Maximizing their ground transportation, the family avoided flying as much as possible. One of their goals was also to meet people by staying in guest houses and homestays rather than hotels wherever possible. Throughout their journey, the family’s love, resilience and unshakeable sense of wonder ensure that their uncertain future does not define their present.
Blink features Edith Lemay, Sébastien Pelletier, Mia Pelletier, Léo Pelletier, Colin Pelletier, Laurent Pelletier, François Lemay and Pauline Sirois.
“We all have to live with news that reshapes the life and future we thought we had, but it is how we deal with the unexpected and how we move forward that can define who we are. The Pelletier family’s story offers such an inspiring testament to this idea. Faced with uncertainty and fear, they choose to embrace life and the opportunities it has given them. Our film, set against the wondrous backdrop of their world travels, gently integrates with and observes the family, telling not only a story of childlike wonder and discovery but also of grief and letting go. Indeed, as they come to realize, by embracing the unknown together, a different but beautiful life awaits them. We are so excited to share this story of family resilience and strength, and hope that Blink will resonate with everyone – no matter how big or small, how young or old,” said directors Stenson and Roher.
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for ‘Blink’.