The Red Balloon

Le Ballon Rouge (The Red Balloon)
Albert Lamorisse1956

There is something about foreign films that sound pretentious. (Maybe it’s the sub-titles) Thankfully this short film has none. In fact, it is set to music and has almost no dialogue at all! It tells the tale of a little boy, who on his way to school discovers a red balloon. The red balloon proceeds to follow the boy throughout the streets of Paris.

 

It’s a short film at just about 35 minutes and provides a glance at the area of Bellville in Paris. An area that regrettably has been altered considerably since the films making; Ninety-five percent of what is seen in the film exists no more. It has won numerous awards and has been digitally re-mastered not too long ago and is available on DVD. The cinematography is quite charming and the town seems muted around the vibrant color of The Red Balloon and at times the balloon seems to take on a life of its own.

The book by the same name is also worth a read! My favorite version is the children’s I can read edition published in 1978, this particular cover is a great segue way for the film. There are many versions of it out there and if you happen across it in any vintage form you should scoop it up at once. Either way, both are classics and when The BOOG is old enough I hope she enjoys it as much as I did when I was just a wee little thing!