The Red Balloon

The Red Balloon is a French Film (Le Ballon Rouge), which was directed by Albert Lamorisse in 1956. This short film was shot in Paris, France in the Menilmontant neighborhood. Albert won numerous awards from this film’s simplicity, creative screenplay and powerful message. The film, has very little French dialogue but used diegetic, nun-diegetic, and soundtrack music to help tell the story and build a deeper understanding and emotion attachment. The film follows a young boy (Pascal) who one day finds a big red balloon on top of a light post. Later discovers this balloons has a mind of its own because it follows him around. With the balloon he finds it harder to keep it because it isn’t allowed on the public transportation, school, nor

The first thing that catches your attention is the setting of the neighborhood and how grayish and dull it appears. Throughout the film the background setting continues with this grayish and dull point of view about this neighborhood but gave a naturalistic light. The film was set to go against the monochromatic dullness of post-war Paris. In addition, the setting is very large compared to the characters throughout this storyline. The setting overwhelm the characters in various scenes throughout the film. As a result of the directors using this technique the grayish dull and big setting it disconnects the viewers from the city so we can focus more on the message within the film. It gives the messages that no matter where you’re located us as individuals our comprehension on the hidden message is bigger than these

With the technique of props in this film it helped together to pulling a deeper meaning because these prop all symbolized a meaning that contributed in this film. Pascal found the balloon on the top of the light post which gave us a lead way to form a meaning. Also, mirrors had a focus point at one time in the film. Mirrors represents two world of a parallel view. Light post are known to be a power source for energy and light. As Pascal continues it seems that the balloon becomes his best friend. This causes problems at home, school, and while trying to ride public transportation but eventually overcome. The characters movement and performance plays as a key element in the short film because there is very little French dialogue in the duration of this film. Their actions are watched closer because of this missing element. Then the characters target the red balloon from the boys in his neighborhood and they eventually capture and stone it until it deflates. This is relevant to the film because it give the message of society and how they do not like that is different. They would try to destroy whatever type of creativity you have to make you like everyone else. Colors can connect and contract objects in various figures throughout the film. Some people say to generally find a red balloon in such a gray environment symbolizing many things like hope, creativity, and