“See the glass half empty or half full,” says Sébastien Pelletier when he remembers the moment when the diagnosis of an incurable eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa, was made for three of his four children. Without any hesitation, he and his partner preferred the second option. “OK, that’s the negative of life, but it doesn’t matter, because that’s not what I want, especially for my children. So, we’re going to look at the positive, and I’m happy that that’s what comes out of the film,” adds his partner, Édith Lemay, about Blinkthe documentary directed by Edmund Stenson and Daniel Roher for National Geographic, which follows the little Quebec family on their world tour.
When he leaves Montreal for Africa to begin a journey of around fifteen months, the couple has only one idea in mind: to fill the visual memory of Mia, Colin and Laurent before he or too late, just like Leo’s, even if his sight is spared. “We didn’t think any further,” confides Édith Lemay. And Sébastien Pelletier adds: “In such a situation, what can we do? Be in action, control what you can control, take charge of yourself, regardless of the illness. And that’s how we went around the world. » In fact, as evidenced by Blinknot only did the trip fill them with wonder, sometimes astonishment, it also gave them many opportunities to learn, meet extraordinary people, demonstrate resilience, and allowed them to strengthen family ties. “It’s all so rich,” adds the mother.
Facing the unexpected
There was talk of surprises at the start of the adventure, when the Pelletiers crisscrossed the African continent. “Several production teams heard about our story and contacted us via social media with requests. We didn’t really know what to do with that…” remembers Édith Lemay. Their atypical epic, to say the least, also quickly toured the planet. “But that was never the plan, to make a documentary,” she explains. One thing led to another, the parents accepted the project Blink. “It will make a beautiful memory for the children, it will make beautiful images. That’s what motivated us, basically, to make the film, but we didn’t expect it to be as big as that,” adds the mother, in reference to the prestige and popularity of National Geographic and Disney+, broadcaster in Canada.
The filming of Blink Did it have an impact on their trip? Not really. “The film crew joined us four times over a few weeks. They adapted to us,” says Édith Lemay, who, a little taken by surprise, did not really know what the objective of the documentary would be. “I’m going to tell you our story, but I don’t have a message,” she told production at the time. According to her, they can do whatever they want, after all.
“We didn’t ask questions because, even if it’s not their cause, it’s still their job,” she says, evoking mutual trust from the first moments. Precisely, Édith Lemay is convinced that the chemistry between her family and the documentary team is the reason which explains that Blink is also touching and luminous. “It’s a really nice gift. »
Several production teams heard about our story and contacted us via social media with requests. We didn’t really know what to do with that…
Travel challenges
If Blink gives viewers a story of discoveries and adventures, the Lemay-Pelletier parents also like to come back to what we don’t see on the screen in interviews – behind the scenes, so to speak. “We experienced several situations that really excited the children, like when we had no electricity or running water. They found it funny to pump water, but after that, they had to carry the buckets to the house…” says the father.
For her part, her partner mentions that the family was also able to see the advanced state of pollution in which the planet is. “Seeing beaches full of waste had a big impact on the children and it was something that was quite central to the trip,” emphasizes Édith Lemay. That, and then the living conditions of people all over the world, which are not always rosy. A real life lesson. “There are things, I think, that children are now able to appreciate, much more than before the trip anyway, like a hot shower or a clean hospital,” she concludes. All in all, therefore, the glass is certainly half full.