There is only so much a film maker can say with a short movie. Every frame counts, and you want to make the most of it. The Red Balloon is a quietly enjoyable short film lasting just 34 minutes. With almost no dialogue, the film relies on the magic of storytelling told with a dollop of “special effects”. The story is simple. On the streets of 1950s Paris, a young boy (played by director Albert Lamorisse’s son, Pascal) discovers a red balloon that got tangled on a lamp post while walking home from school. He “rescues” the balloon and takes it home. Thus begins a series of adventures between him and the balloon, which seems to have a mind of its own, following him wherever he goes and evading other kids and adults who try to snatch it away from the boy.

Shot in beautifully muted technicolor and with believable special effects of the balloon’s “antics,” The Red Balloon is a simple yet engaging story of innocence and magic that transcends the harsh realities of life. That is probably why Lamorisse chose a candy red balloon and set it against the overwhelmingly grey alleys and streets of postwar Paris. The film earned Lamorisse an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and a Palme d’Or for Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival, along with near-universal praise from critics.

Watch: The Red Balloon is on YouTube. 

Scenes from the Red Balloon