CINEMA SUNDAY: ALBERT LAMORISSE

The Red Balloon + White Mane 

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Sunday, May 17 - 1pm
The Cinematheque, 1131 Howe Street, Vancouver

The Cinematheque is screening two of French director Albert Lamorisse's most famous films: The Red Balloon and White Mane.

“We will never be grateful enough to Lamorisse ... With the eyes of a ten-year-old, wide open with dreams and wet with tears, we followed the dazzling horse in the sea, or the enchanted balloon in the sky.”
MARIE-NOËLLE TRANCHANT,LE FIGARO

The Red Balloon
(Le ballon rouge)
France 1956. Dir: Albert Lamorisse. 34 min. 35mm

French director Albert Lamorisse’s The Red Balloon is undoubtedly one of the most beloved and magical children’s films of all time! Winner of the Short Film Palme d’Or at Cannes, as well as the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay (the only short film with this distinction), it’s an enchanting urban adventure about a Parisian boy and a very special ballon rouge with a mind of its own. Though nearly wordless, there are English subtitles for the minimal French dialogue. “An utterly charming, tender and humorous drama of the ingeniousness of a child” (Bosley Crowther, New York Times).

White Mane
(Crin-blanc)
France 1953. Dir: Albert Lamorisse. 40 min. 35mm

The film that preceded Lamorisse’s pitch-perfect The Red Balloon is another tale of childhood wonder that took a top prize at Cannes (Grand Prix for best short). Set in the south of France, it’s the story of a boy’s remarkable friendship with a wild stallion known as White Mane. The version presented here features newly-translated English narration by Peter Strauss. “There’s a sense of a boy’s wild-bird spirit blending with the tameless heart and strength of a mighty horse that moves one to emotional raptures that are seldom got from a film” (Bosley Crowther, New York Times).

Both films screen from 35mm prints restored by Janus Films in 2007.

ALL AGES WELCOME

More information here.

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During the short intermission between films, join Alliance Française de Vancouver for a fun, French-led activity where kids (and kids-at-heart) can have their photo taken with the red balloon against a Paris backdrop.

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