Disney has announced that the National Geographic film, “Blink”, will soon be coming to the National Geographic channel, Hulu and Disney+.

“Blink” tells the story of a 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 decided to set out on a journey around the world to build their visual memory and 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.

The film was released in over 250 cinemas across the United States and Canada earlier this year, and it has also appeared at many film festivals.

“Blink” will be released on the National Geographic channel on December 16th 2024 and it will stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu on December 17th 2024.  Both streaming services will feature a special English audio description version from launch, offering additional accessibility to audiences.

The directors Edmund Stenson and Daniel Roher said in a statement:

“We were so happy to see how BLINK resonated with theatrical audiences of all ages this fall, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with National Geographic to bring it to Disney+ and Hulu.  There’s no better home for this film, and we like to imagine that families across the world will huddle around their screens this holiday season and laugh, cry and explore the world with the endlessly inspiring Lemay-Pelletier family.”

Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president of Documentary Films for National Geographic added:

“We are delighted to bring this heartwarming film to our television and streaming audience after its impactful theatrical run.  BLINK is the perfect family-friendly film going into the holidays and embodies the spirit of adventure and exploration at the heart of the National Geographic brand. We can’t wait for audiences everywhere to be inspired by the remarkable Pelletier family as they journey around the world and into an unknown future.”

“Blink” features Edith Lemay, Sébastien Pelletier, Mia Pelletier, Léo Pelletier, Colin Pelletier, Laurent Pelletier, François Lemay and Pauline Sirois. The film is directed by Edmund Stenson and Academy and BAFTA Award-winner Daniel Roher. It is produced by Academy and BAFTA Award-winners Melanie Miller and Diane Becker for Fishbowl Films, in association with MRC and EyeSteelFilm. Co-producers include Ann Rogers and Christina Radburn, with Madison Horton and Kelsey van den Bergh serving as associate producers. Music is by Tamar-Kali, with additional music created by Hunter Hanson and Steve Wright. It is edited by Ryan Mullins and Miranda Yousef. Jean-Sébastien Francoeur serves as director of photography. Executive producers include Amit Dey and Eyesteel’s Bob Moore. Carolyn Bernstein serves as executive producer for National Geographic Documentary Films.

Are you looking forward to watching “Blink”?  Let me know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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