Independent Films
Family drama
Flight of the Red Balloon (2008): Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Flight of the Red Balloon is a 2008 family drama directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou. It runs 1 hour 55 minutes and earned $1.3 million worldwide. Critics gave it 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and 86 on Metacritic.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 55m (115 min)
- Director
- Hsiao-hsien Hou
- Original language
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French - Studio
- IFC Films
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
The story
What Is Flight of the Red Balloon About?
The premise of Flight of the Red Balloon without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A young boy named Simon experiences upheaval as his mother struggles with emotional difficulties. He finds an unexpected connection with Song, a Taiwanese filmmaker, who takes him in and becomes his caretaker. Set against the backdrop of Paris, their relationship explores themes of family, memory, and belonging. A vibrant red balloon becomes a recurring symbol, representing freedom, hope, and the ties that bind them together, offering a glimpse into their shared journey.
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Crew
The Director of Flight of the Red Balloon
Directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou.
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Director Hsiao-hsien Hou
From the director
More from Hsiao-hsien Hou
More films directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou, best-rated first: Three Times, Café Lumière, Flowers of Shanghai and The Assassin.
Ratings
Flight of the Red Balloon Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Flight of the Red Balloon 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and 86 on Metacritic.
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Rotten Tomatoes 82% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 60%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 86 Metascore
User score 7.2
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 62% User score
See on TMDB
Plot
Flight of the Red Balloon Plot Summary
What happens in Flight of the Red Balloon from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Suzanne is a talented puppeteer who lives in a charming Parisian apartment with her young son Simon. As she dedicates herself to creating a new Chinese puppet play inspired by an ancient text (求妻煮海人), she enlists the help of a Chinese film student named Song to be Simon’s nanny. In a creative endeavor that pays tribute to Albert Lamorisse’s acclaimed 1956 film The Red Balloon, Song embarks on a project to document Simon’s life through film. Over time, she cultivates a warm relationship with both Suzanne and Simon, stepping in as a translator for a masterclass featuring a renowned Chinese puppet master.
Full summary
The whole story of Flight of the Red Balloon, scene by scene
Box office
Flight of the Red Balloon Box Office
Flight of the Red Balloon grossed $1.3 million worldwide. $461,674 came from the US and Canada and $874,313 (65%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$1.3M
- US & Canada
- $461.7K
- International
- $874.3K
US & Canada 35%
Rest of the world 65%
Videos
Flight of the Red Balloon Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Flight of the Red Balloon.
Quiz
How Well Do You Know Flight of the Red Balloon?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is Suzanne's profession?
Cars
Cars in Flight of the Red Balloon
19 cars on screen, including the 1985 ARO 240 and the 1990 Jeep Cherokee.
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1985 ARO 240 Important role -
1990 Jeep Cherokee Important role -
1989 Mitsubishi Montero Important role -
ARO 244 Minor role
Details
Flight of the Red Balloon Also Known As
15 alternative titles, including “The Flight of the Red Balloon” and “El vuelo del globo rojo”.
- Also known as
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- The Flight of the Red Balloon
- El vuelo del globo rojo
- Flight of the Red Ballon
- 빨간 풍선
- Die Reise des roten Ballons
- Punaisen ilmapallon matka
- Пътуването на червеното балонче
- Höst i Paris
- 红气球之旅
- O Voo do Balão Vermelho
- מסע הבלון האדום
- Kırmızı Balon'un Yolculuğu
+3 more Show fewer
- A Viagem do Balão Vermelho
- Podróż czerwonego balonika
- 紅氣球
Seen Flight of the Red Balloon?
From the blog
Articles About Flight of the Red Balloon
3 articles about Flight of the Red Balloon. The latest: “The Art of the Short Documentary: Conveying Stories Concisely”.
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CinemaThe Art of the Short Film: Crafting Stories in a Limited Time
Discover the captivating world of short films, where storytelling is an art of precision and creativity, crafting impactful narratives within a limited timeframe. 9 min read -
CinemaThe Art of the Short Film: Crafting Stories in Limited Time
Explore the art of crafting compelling narratives in limited time with our insightful blog post on the unique and powerful world of short films. 9 min read
FAQ
Flight of the Red Balloon FAQ: Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Flight of the Red Balloon, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Flight of the Red Balloon?
Flight of the Red Balloon runs 1 hour 55 minutes (115 minutes).
When was Flight of the Red Balloon released?
Flight of the Red Balloon was released on April 4, 2008.
Who directed Flight of the Red Balloon?
Flight of the Red Balloon was directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou.
More films by Hsiao-hsien Hou How much did Flight of the Red Balloon make at the box office?
Flight of the Red Balloon grossed $1.3 million worldwide ($461,674 domestic, $874,313 international).
How is Flight of the Red Balloon rated?
Flight of the Red Balloon has 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 86 on Metacritic and 62% on TMDB.
Does Flight of the Red Balloon have a post-credit scene?
No. Flight of the Red Balloon has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Flight of the Red Balloon in?
The original language of Flight of the Red Balloon is French.
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