Dune 2: Not just a great movie

In French-Canada it's also just what a particular viewer needed

Warning. Lots of French names in today’s Good News.

Dune 2 is a very good movie. Dune is a great novel and it and its two immediate sequels are a wonderful trilogy.

But a good movie can do even better things. And something to this effect happened in a palliative care center in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec. There, in a heartwarming display of compassion and dedication, the film’s directer and fellow-Quebecois Denis Villeneuve orchestrated a poignant cinematic experience and answered a dying film enthusiast's final wish.

The narrative began with a man (identity withheld) who, on his deathbed, expressed his fervent desire to see Villeneuve's acclaimed film before his passing. This last wish, seemingly insurmountable, was relayed to Josée Gagnon, a compassionate figure specializing in end-of-life care through her organization L'Avant, which is focused on helping people at the end of their lives realize their dreams.

This led to a local film director, Sébastien Pilote, and soon connections were made, ultimately leading to Villeneuve's involvement. Initially considering the possibility of transporting the ailing fan to Los Angeles for an exclusive screening, Villeneuve and his wife, Tanya Lapointe, quickly grasped the urgency of the situation.

Recognizing the physical constraints of the man's condition, a copy of the film was sent (on Villeneuve’s laptop), privacy protocols were employed (this was more than a month before release) and the curtains were drawn before the private screening was held and the final wishes were granted in fine, cinematic form.

But not all stories are storybook in nature. In this case, the man was unable to finish the movie in the first sitting (hey, it’s not a short film) and soon succumbed to his illness before the screening could be completed ended.

That said, the resonance of this gesture reverberated throughout the local community. Good movies are wonderful experiences, transforming and informing. But this adds in the indelible import of empathy, which is in and of itself powerful.

Together the combination of Villeneuve's altruistism and art’s transcendence combine in even the darkest of moments.

That’s good.