The Red Balloon

The Red Balloon is a 1956 fantasy short film, directed by Albert Lamorisse. It is a dialogue free film which nonetheless won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Beautiful!

11 Comments leave a comment below

  1. an incredible film…unfortunately i only saw it once when i was 6. It reduced me to a puddle of sobs, and just the thought of it makes me teary!

  2. My elementary school regularly showed this film to us. I love it!

  3. I was thinking about this film today. I bought it on DVD for my son a couple of years ago, and he really didn’t seem to get it. Fast forward (in real life) by two years, and we learn that our son has Asperger’s Syndrome — among other things, Asperger’s sufferers have a hard time judging facial expressions. The syndrome is in the category of “non-verbal learning disabilities.” So of course my son didn’t get it!

    Today it occurred to me that I could watch it with him and point out what the little boy is feeling and how he expresses his feelings. That might actually be a good learning exercise for my little boy.

  4. OH, one of my favorites :D

  5. Thanks for that great flood of memories! I recall seeing the film on a few occasions here in Toronto when I was in elementary school in the 1970’s.

  6. Oh I haven’t seen this in years. I remember love it. Thanks for the memory.

  7. 1st Time I see it. It’s Beautiful

  8. Hi

    now that i read your post, i’d like to show you a video clip that i did for an indy band here in spain -it’s a hommage to Le ballon rouge.

    you can see it here:


    (actually i’m a writer; but got a knack for photshop and after effects)

    thank. and i love your blog.

    luis

  9. I was forced to watch this film somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 times between 3rd and 5th grades.

    It is a sweet and dreamy film, a romance between boy and balloon (Lacanian readings invited), and I think it pretty well demonstrates everything that Americans find laughable about the French. Allons-y!

  10. love this little film – didn’t enjoy the recent full length feature that was out last year though… can’t remember the title – juliette binoche was in it…

  11. FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON
    Director: Hsiao-hsien Hou. 112 min. 2008
    Date & Time: Thu, Jan 15, 2009, 8:00pm
    Location: 92YTribeca, 200 Hudson Str.
    Venue: 92YTribeca Screening Room
    Price: $12.00

    http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?category=92Tri+92YTribeca+Film888&productid=T-MM5FJ12