Blink is a documentary film from National Geographic, which follows the Pelletier family from Montreal, who learn that three of their four children have retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic condition causing gradual loss of vision and probable blindness. Faced with this dire yet unavoidable future, they decide to set out together on a year-long trip around the world, so that, in the event that the children do go completely blind, they will at least be able to draw upon their experiences of the world and its wonders. In the words of Edith, the mother, “Let’s do it; let’s do it now. Let’s go all in, and fill their visual memories with as much beautiful things as we can.”

To plan their trip, they have the children collaborate on a list — a bucket list — of places that they would like to see, and things they would like to experience. This list becomes the backbone of their trip. Their first stop is Nairobi, where they go out on a safari (Bucket List item #1: “Go on a safari”), seeing zebras, elephants, lions and giraffes in their native habitat. Then through Zambia and Tanzania by train (Bucket List item #3: “Sleep on a train”); to Turkey (Bucket List item #31: “Eat ice cream”); Mongolia (Bucket List item #13: “Ride horses in Mongolia”); and Indonesia (Bucket List item #8: “Learn to surf”). Some of the bucket list items are simply whimsical (Bucket List item #23: “Drink juice on a camel”); others are more likely to create memories that will be long-lasting and meaningful (Bucket List item #15: “Make friends in other countries”).

Perhaps the highlight of the Pelletier family’s adventures is their nine-day trek through the Himalayas northwest of Pokhara, Nepal (Bucket List item #6: “Do a multi-day hike”), to a lookout situated 3300 meters above sea level. The trek takes the family through some truly spectacular landscapes, but it also tests the children’s endurance, and the parents’ patience and calm.

The pace of all these adventures strung end to end becomes exhausting for the viewer, and the footage from most of the family’s lengthy list of activities is rather superficial. The overall tone of the film feels somewhat breezy, considering the situation — children are going blind, for heavens sake! — and the soundtrack (a bit too sprightly for my taste) seems deliberately designed to help spin things in a more positive direction, appropriate to a “family friendly” film intended for broadcast on the National Geographic channel.

Despite this breeziness, there are occasions when the true significance of the family’s situation is made crystal clear, such as the poignant moment when Laurent asks his mother, partway through their trek: “Mummy, what does it mean to be blind?” Edith: “That question was just like an arrow to my heart.” And you can't help but feel for this 5-year-old boy, who, caught up in and distracted by his year of lavish adventures, must also grapple with the implications of this very existential question, one that will effect the rest of his life.

There are three screenings of Blink during VIFF 2024: at 3:45 pm on Thursday September 26 at International Village, at 6:15 pm on Thursday October 3 at International Village, and at 10:30 am on Saturday October 5 at International Village. You can read additional details on the film at the VIFF website. You can view the trailer for Blink here.

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