Flight of the Red Balloon (2007)

A little boy and his baby-sitter inhabit the same imaginary world: through their adventures they are followed by a strange red balloon.

Director:

Hsiao-Hsien Hou

Writers:

Hsiao-Hsien Hou, François Margolin

Stars:

Juliette Binoche, Hippolyte Girardot, Simon Iteanu

3 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Juliette Binoche	...	Suzanne
Hippolyte Girardot	...	Marc
Simon Iteanu	...	Simon
Fang Song	...	Song
Louise Margolin	...	Louise
Anna Sigalevitch	...	Anna
Charles-Edouard Renault	...	Lorenzo
Damien Maestraggi

Storyline

In Paris, Chinese cinema student Song Fang is hired to work as the nanny of Simon by his divorced mother Suzanne, who works voicing marionettes in a theater. Suzanne is having troubles with her tenant Marc, who does not pay the rent, while she waits for the return of her older daughter Louise, who lives with her father in Brussels.

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Plot Keywords:

tenant | red balloon | balloon | marionette | babysitter | 

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Juliette Binoche: The Art of Being - Official Fansite Official site [Japan]

Country:

France Taiwan

Language:

French Mandarin

Release Date:

30 January 2008 (France)

Also Known As:

Flight of the Red Balloon

Box Office

Budget:

EUR3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$35,222, 6 April 2008

Gross USA:

$461,674

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,475,937

Company Credits

Production Co:

Margo Films, Les Films du Lendemain, Arte France Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The director's first film to be shot outside of Asia.

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Connections

References Children of Men (2006)

User Reviews

They call it "cinema d'auteur"

At first I was surprised to see such a negative first review. After looking through the other comments I understood why. There is no middle impression on this movie. It's one of those movies that you love or hate/dislike. It's not a "good" or "not bad" movie.

I just think it touched some people, like me. I spent 1 1/2 years in Paris and I have a profound passion for French culture since I was a kid. For me, after living for more than 5 months in China, it felt good to remember Paris. I saw a movie that depicted only a snapshot of some people's lives. Their way of living, their problems are typical to the French society.

One user was talking about plot, drama. For me, this movie was more about feelings than actions. Some smiles, some tears, the image, the people. It made me remember "Paris, je t'aime".

I think that if I didn't have the Paris experience or an affinity for the French society, the movie wouldn't have touched so much. I think there's a second level in this movie that is accessible only to those who understand the French society.