Blink (2024)

With three of their young family on a declining spiral of sight loss, the Pelletier's decide to try to take something positive from the time they have left together when they can all see and visit some of the most impressive, interesting, colourful and exciting places on Earth. For the next eighty minutes or so, we follow their adventure as they take to the water and to the skies, appreciate some of the greatest natural phenomena, and probably most importantly - they have fun as a family who all know that things will soon be much less enjoyable and care-free. The parents - Édith Lemay and Sébastian Pelletier carry out quite a juggling act as they strive to create an ordinary, unexceptional environment for their youngsters whilst always conscious of what travails are yet to come. Clearly, money doesn't seem to be an issue here, and so Mia, Léo, Colin and Laurent can embark on their travelogue enthusiastically - and at times that zeal for life and for each other proves a powerful fillip for all, including us. The photography is artfully delivered showcasing some of the astonishing features that grace this world, and the conversation is restricted to snippets of chat rather than any more formal narration, and I thought that worked well - even if, at times, I felt a little like an eavesdropper. Obviously not everyone has the resources to react to an upcoming trauma as these people did, but it's not really the scale of their Phileas Fogg-ness that stands out, it's the fact that as a family, and a largely aware one at that, they manage to navigate their trip - tantrums and all - in a fashion that provides hope for a future that will be different, but will also be peppered with memories they will never forget and that will be built on pretty solid familial foundations.