#pascal lamorisse

[gregorygalloway]

Le ballon rouge premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on 3 May 1956, where it received the Palme d'Or for short films.

Directed, produced and written by Albert Lamorisse (and starring his son Pascal, and including his daughter Sabine), the 34-minute film is considered to be one of the greatest short films ever made. It is the only short film to receive an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

[haveyouseenthismovie-poll]

Have you seen The Red Balloon (1956)?

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Voting ended onFeb 26, 2025

[loveboatinsanity]

[gusvanscant]

'The Red Balloon' (dir. by Albert Lamorisse) [1956]

[mariwatchesmovies]

Le Ballon rouge | The Red Balloon (1956) dir. Albert Lamorisse cine. Edmond Séchan

[schlock-luster-video]

On June 8, 2001, The Red Balloon was screened at the Los Angeles Outfest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.

[sundaynightfilms]

Le ballon rouge, 1956

[blues-sevenfold]

The Red Balloon: Theories

You can watch the entire film on YouTube here. It’s just a little over thirty minutes long. All in all, I think it’s simple but very sweet film. I like how the red balloon that the little boy (Pascal) finds in sentient.

There is one particular scene, though, that is very depressing. It’s when the bullies use a slingshot to throw stones at the balloon, the beautiful perfect red body starts to blister badly, and then one of the bullies finally stomps on the red balloon... and pops it.

However, after that scene, the balloons from all over Paris come over to Pascal - and the film ends with the balloons lifting Pascal into the air for a balloon ride.

I’ve been told that I tend to be overly analytical, which I can’t really deny. I’ve read reviews from some that insists that the the red balloon is suddenly abandoned and forgotten by Pascal *and* their balloon brethren, and I can see where that might be one interpretation. After all, it wasn’t just a plain ordinary lifeless red balloon. It was a balloon given sapience.

However, do I believe that that was really what happened. Actually, no, I don’t! Here’s why. Keep in mind that sentient balloons aren’t common knowledge within the universe of The Red Balloon. Even Pascal is surprised when he sees that his balloon didn’t just fly away, after his guardian threw the balloon out the window. Everyone in Paris that spots the red balloon is shocked by the strange behaviour of the balloon... like when it follows a bus around Paris. So one can easily deduct that sentient balloons aren’t exactly commonplace in the film’s universe.

We see one instance of another sentient balloon, when we see a girl (Sabine) with a blue balloon. The scene is quite brief, but one can deduct that the blue balloon is probably more mindful to remain inconspicuous - and it’s possible that her parents are probably a bit more chill about her having a balloon in their home. So the blue balloon is not targetted by bullies in the same way the red balloon is.

So what do I think happened after the popping scene? I think the spirit of the red balloon entered all the other balloons, which were previously non-sentient. There’s no indication that Sabine’s blue balloon left her to join Pascal, so I think the red balloon was resurrected/reincarnated. And Pascal could sense that right away, upon seeing the swarm of balloons. So he was smiling broadly, since he knew that his friend came back for him.

So what do you think?