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Section: Days of French Cinema
The Red Balloon (1956)
A lyrical story of friendship between the little Parisian boy Pascal and his red balloon. From the moment the two meet, audiences watch their escapades with great enthusiasm. They smile along with the pedestrians under whose umbrellas hide little Pascal and the balloon from the rain. They find joy when the balloon follows and taunts the strict headmaster. They sympathize with the red balloon’s feelings toward a blue one. They experience the tension when Pascal is persecuted by a gang of urchins, and cry together with the boy when the smooth surface of the red balloon is pierced by a sharp stone and it slowly ages, deflates and dies before his eyes.
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Year | 1956 |
| Duration | 34 min |
| Rating | 8 |
| Language | French |
| Subtitle | English, Czech |
| Directed by | Albert Lamorisse |
| Director of Photography | Edmond Séchan |
| Music | Maurice Leroux |
| Edited by | Pierre Gillette |
| Contact | FILMS DISTRIBUTION |
Biography
Albert Lamorisse (1922-1970) was a director, but also a poet and writer. His work was influenced by the world of fantasy, fables and fairy tales. He began with the short film Bim (1950), based on the children's books. He won significant awards for his works White Mane (Crin-Blanc, 1953) and The Red Balloon (Le Ballon rouge, 1956). He then made the feature films Stowaway in the Sky (Le Voyage en ballon, 1960) and Circus Angel (Fifi La Plume, 1965). He established himself in the field of documentary film.This film is a part of the set White Mane and The Red Balloon.