Le voyage du ballon rouge (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 & 12 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:

€3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$35,222, 6 April 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$459,364, 17 August 2008

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

Referenced in Hou Hsiao-Hsien Master Class (2007)

User Reviews

Pointless and Boring

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

"Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge" is a pointless and boring movie about the quotidian life of a woman that dubs marionettes and lives alone with her beloved son. I cannot understand the hype surrounding this disappointing movie that goes nowhere, where the greatest excitement is when the workers move the piano to the upper floor and the greatest curiosity for those that have never played piano is when the technician tunes up the same piano. The pretentious director Hsiao-hsien Hou includes a red balloon to give the appearance of cult-movie to this forgettable flick that wastes the talented Juliette Binoche in a dull story. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "A Viagem do Balão Vermelho" ("The Voyage of the Red Balloon")