The Red Balloon

The Red Balloon (French: Le ballon rouge) is a 1956 French fantasy comedy-drama featurette written, produced and directed by Albert Lamorisse. The 34-minute short, which follows the adventures of a young boy and a sentient, mute red balloon, was filmed in the Ménilmontant neighborhood of Paris. Lamorisse's son Pascal plays himself in the main role, and his daughter Sabine portrays a young girl. The film won numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Lamorisse for Best Original Screenplay in 1956 and the Palme d'Or for short films at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.