The Red Balloon



The Red Balloon (French: Le Ballon rouge) is a 1956 34 minute short film about a boy and his balloon, directed by Albert Lamroisse.

One day, a young boy named Pascal finds a red balloon. The balloon is actually alive and has a sentient mind of its own. Thus, they set off an adventure in Paris.

While a simplistic film made for children and to preserve the Ménilmontant section of Paris in film, critics noted the beautiful cinematography, woodwind score, and idealist allegories in a post World War II Paris. It is noted as an art film.

The film became a sensation in the United States especially with the children. Schools often show the film in cafeterias and the film, for a while, became the largest selling non-running theatrical print.

The film won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, the Palme d’Or; Best Short Film at Cannes, and similar awards (BAFTA, National Board of Review).

It is also available on the Criterion Collection website, under the "Janus Films" label.


 * Animate Inanimate Object
 * Balloonacy: In the ending.
 * A Boy and His Balloon
 * The City of Light
 * Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Guess who’s featuring in the show?
 * The Fifties
 * Gang of Bullies
 * Le Film Artistique
 * Kids Are Cruel
 * Minimalism: Most of the film is silent and there are around two scenes of actual dialog.
 * Scenery Porn
 * Short Film
 * Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: Definitely idealistic. Brian Gibson, film critic, writes that the film can be seen in an escapist stance towards Pascal.
 * Sliding Scale of Living Toys: The balloon is at Level 4.
 * You Are Not Alone: In the final scenes.