Red Balloon
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A short French film about a boy and his loyal balloon with a life of its own. After spending happy times together, bullies chase the boy through town and destroy his balloon. But all the balloons of the city come to cheer him up, and fly him up over the town.
Credits
Montsouris, Films (production company); Albert Lamorisse (director); Albert Lamorisse (writer); Edmond Séchan (cinematographer); Pierre Gillette (editor); Maurice Le Roux (composer); Pascal Lamorisse (actor)
Complete catalog record
Cfa collection: Margaret Conneely Collection
Subjects: Children
Places: Europe > France
Language: English
Shot log: 00:00 - Extended credits. On the streets in France, a small child climbs a light post to reach a red balloon.; 05:30 - After school we follow the boy and his balloon through the rainy streets until he gets home. His mother releases the balloon but it stays put.; 09:00 - The balloon follows the boy through the streets and to school of its own accord. When the boy gets in trouble it pesters the headmaster.; 16:42 - It continues to follow the headmaster until he lets the boy out of detention. He and the balloon wander through a market until they meet a girl with a blue balloon, and are then chased by bullies.; 21:29 - The boy and his mother go to church. Afterwards, when the boy stops in a shop for a snack the bullies steal his balloon and try to pop it. He frees the balloon and flees.; 28:30-33:25 - The bullies catch the boy trapped in an open field and throw rocks at the balloon until it sadly deflates. Suddenly, all around town balloons fly away, creating beautiful imagery of balloons over the city. They congregate around the happy boy, who grabs their strings and flies away. Ends mid-scene.
Cfa elements: Print, 1,220 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/2639
Subjects: Children
Places: Europe > France
Language: English
Shot log: 00:00 - Extended credits. On the streets in France, a small child climbs a light post to reach a red balloon.; 05:30 - After school we follow the boy and his balloon through the rainy streets until he gets home. His mother releases the balloon but it stays put.; 09:00 - The balloon follows the boy through the streets and to school of its own accord. When the boy gets in trouble it pesters the headmaster.; 16:42 - It continues to follow the headmaster until he lets the boy out of detention. He and the balloon wander through a market until they meet a girl with a blue balloon, and are then chased by bullies.; 21:29 - The boy and his mother go to church. Afterwards, when the boy stops in a shop for a snack the bullies steal his balloon and try to pop it. He frees the balloon and flees.; 28:30-33:25 - The bullies catch the boy trapped in an open field and throw rocks at the balloon until it sadly deflates. Suddenly, all around town balloons fly away, creating beautiful imagery of balloons over the city. They congregate around the happy boy, who grabs their strings and flies away. Ends mid-scene.
Cfa elements: Print, 1,220 feet
Cfa records: https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/Detail/objects/2639
Sources
- Chicago Film Archives · record ↗ — title, year, creator, length, format, color, sound, genre, description, credits, catalog record
Record added 2026-11-08 21:25:06