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The Red Balloon
Le Ballon rouge
A red balloon with a mind of its own follows a little boy around the streets of Paris. The only short film ever to win an Oscar for best original screenplay, tells the story of young Pascal (Lamorisse’s own son, who carries the same name), a nine-year-old boy living an ordinary life in a sketchy but absolutely gorgeous and cinematic Parisian neighbourhood until one day a large red balloon mysteriously floats into his life… and stays.
The magical balloon has puppy-like attributes. Whether Pascal holds the string or not, the balloon follows him faithfully on his daily route to shops and vacant lots. A conductor refuses to let the balloon board his streetcar, so they race to school together, where the balloon patiently waits outside until the classes end. When a mean teacher punishes Pascal, the balloon hilariously taunts the disciplinarian in a bit of supernatural slapstick. The balloon even finds its own friend, a blue balloon held by a little girl.
Rarely has the spirit of childhood been evoked as exquisitely as in this cinematic fable, a fantasy with the texture of reality. Shot in beautifully muted Technicolor, this beguiling allegory of innocence and transcendence has inspired generations of viewers to let their imaginations take flight. How Lamorisse imbues a simple balloon with so much emotion is masterful, a feat rarely duplicated in film.
Bio Albert Lamorisse
Albert Lamorisse (1922-1970) was a French filmmaker who started his career in the late 1940s. He quickly achieved international recognition for the poetic quality of his short and medium-length films about children and their imagination. Crin Blanc won the Jean Vigo Prize in 1952 and the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953. The Red Balloon received the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1956 and an Oscar the following year.
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- This film was #19 in the “Greatest” Short Films of All Time 2025