Equal parts stunning and touching, this family adventure trip doubles as an ode to the beauty of life and the preciousness of childhood
Movie
Canada, United States of America
English, French, Spanish
Documentary
2024
DANIEL ROHER, EDMUND STENSON
Edith Lemay, Sébastien Pelletier
83 min
TLDR
If all parents were this thoughtful and dedicated, there’d be world peace I think.
What it's about
A Canadian family travels around the world before three of the four young kids permanently go blind.
The take
Upon learning that three young members of their family will soon lose their ability to see, parents Sébastien and Edith Pelletier decide to travel around the world to tick off things from their children’s bucket list. That list alone, which includes drinking juice atop a camel and seeing Mount Everest, makes for an adorable watch (it’s always nice to see deeply active and curious children in an increasingly digital world), but it’s the dedication their parents, Sébastien and Edith, pour into them that gives the film its heart. They prepare their children as much as they can by allowing them to see and sense everything, so that they have touchstones and references when their sight begins to fade. While watching the sunset in a dreamy Egypt desert, Edith asks 11-year-old Mia, “Without your eyes, can you feel the immensity of this place?” Mia says “Oui,” as she runs sand through her hands.
What stands out
The parents’ dedication to their children's memory scrapbook, so to speak, and the children’s immense courage to face their blurry future head-on.