This is a wonderfully observed short film, almost entirely without dialogue, by French director Lamorisse about a boy who finds a red balloon. The balloon seems to become his best friend and follows him around the streets of Paris, helping him to cope with adults and bullies alike. The reader can read many different meanings into the boy's balloon, and it is much to the director's credit that we treat its (thankfully temporary) loss as a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. The tragic ending haunts many an impressionable child well into adulthood. Lamorisse has a unique talent for crawling under the skins of little people, which he also demonstrates in his short White Mane. He won an Oscar for The Red Balloon, but his eventual foray into film making took him out of his depth. In the end he found his true forte in directing documentaries.

Excerpt from Channel 4 located HERE

‘The Red Balloon’ follows a small boy and his big red balloon, around his hometown. Winner of numerous awards in its day, including the Grand Prize at Cannes, it now serves as a fascinating look at life in a different era – fondly called ‘the old days’ by my kids. ‘Why is he going to school on his own? Mum, he’s stealing that balloon! He ran across the road without looking! Etc…’The classic short film has no dialogue – hurrah – and with music as a mood setter it is as enjoyable for adults who wistfully view scenes of post-war France in all its black and white chicness, as it is for kids.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE