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When the film was re-released in the United States in late 2006 by Janus Films, Entertainment Weekly magazine film critic Owen Gleiberman praised its direction and simple story line that reminded him of his youth, and wrote: "More than any other children's film, The Red Balloon turns me into a kid again whenever I see it...[to] see The Red Balloon is to laugh, and cry, at the impossible joy of being a child again." [12] Authors Myles P. Breen has identified the film as having thematic/stylistic qualities that are reflective of the poetic medium. This perspective is rationalised by Breen through quoting film theorist Christian Metz, who states, "in a poem there is no story line, and nothing intrudes between the author and the reader". The film, therefore, is categorised by Breen as being a filmic poem, partially due to its loose, non-narrative structure. [6] The theme of innocence is persistent and is one of the main focuses of the film. Through a child's gaze, a cynical world is transformed into an almost magical one, highlighting the power of the innocence and imagination of children. [5] Breen, Myles P. (1978). "The Rhetoric of the Short Film". Journal of the University Film Association. 30 (3): 3–13. JSTOR 20687433.

The music video for "Son of Sam" by Elliott Smith, from his 2000 album Figure 8, is a direct homage to the film. As the film was filmed in Paris after World War II, its mise-en-scène is quite dark and grey and therefore gives a depressing quality to the setting and mood. In contrast, the balloon's bright color acts as a symbol of hope and light within the film. [2] The cluster balloon ride in the closing scene could also be said to represent a religious or spiritual analogy. For example, when the balloon is destroyed, its "spirit" lives on as it is transferred to all the other balloons in the city, which some believe to be a metaphor for Christ. [3] Themes of self-realisation and loneliness are also present in the film. [4]

The film premiered and opened nationwide in France on 19 October 1956; it was released in the United Kingdom on 23 December 1956 (as the supporting film to the 1956 Royal Performance Film The Battle of the River Plate, which ensured it a wide distribution) and in the United States on 11 March 1957. A boy with a bright red balloon is featured in the epilogue of Damien Chazelle's 2016 musical film La La Land. [21] The A to Z of French Cinema, P.xxx) 1956: December: Albert Lamorisse's Le Ballon rouge wins the Prix Louis-Delluc Accessed February 12, 2018. Harris, Aisha (13 December 2016). "La La Land's Many References to Classic Movies: A Guide". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339 . Retrieved 22 September 2018. The film won numerous awards, including an Oscar for Lamorisse for writing the Best Original Screenplay in 1956 and the Palme d'Or for short films at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival. It also became popular with children and educators. It is the only short film to win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

The film was first released on VHS by Embassy Home Entertainment in 1984. A laserdisc of it was later released by The Criterion Collection in 1986, and was produced by Criterion, Janus Films, and Voyager Press. Included in it was Lamorisse's award-winning short White Mane (1953). A DVD version became available in 2008, and a Blu-ray version was released in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2010; it has now been confirmed as region-free. [24] [25] Book [ edit ] Lamorisse was a former auditor at the Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC), and the crew that he used for the making of the film was entirely composed of IDHEC graduates. [8] Hathaway, Alisa (28 February 2011). "The Red Balloon (1956)". Notes on Short Film . Retrieved 22 September 2018.The film is popular in elementary classrooms throughout the United States and Canada. A four-minute clip is on the rotating list of programming on Classic Arts Showcase. [ citation needed] Reception [ edit ] THE RED BALLOON (U)". British Board of Film Classification. 15 October 1956 . Retrieved 25 March 2016. Schreuders, Piet (8 February 2012). "Het Parijs van Le Ballon Rouge". Furore . Retrieved 9 May 2020. The Red Balloon, Anthony Clark. London: Oberon Books, 2000, ISBN 978-1-84002-079-3. Accessed February 12, 2018. a b Kennicott, Philip (23 November 2007). " 'Red Balloon' and 'White Mane': Childhood Colored by Adult Cynicism". The Washington Post . Retrieved 9 May 2020.

The film, in its American television premiere, was introduced by then-actor Ronald Reagan as an episode of the CBS anthology series General Electric Theater on 2 April 1961. [10]The film has been featured in many festivals over the years, including the Wisconsin International Children's Film Festival; the Los Angeles Outfest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival; the Wisconsin Film Festival; and others. [ citation needed]