The main role is played by Lamorisse's son, Pascal. French singer Renaud and his brother play the twin brothers who appear at the end of the film, wearing red coats. They got the role through their uncle, Edmond Séchan, the director of photography for the film. [9] Release [ edit ]

A boy with a bright red balloon is featured in the epilogue of Damien Chazelle's 2016 musical film La La Land. [21] 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] 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 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. 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]

The music video for "Son of Sam" by Elliott Smith, from his 2000 album Figure 8, is a direct homage to the film. 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] Don Hertzfeld's 1997 short film Billy's Balloon, which also showed at Cannes, is a parody of the film. Guitarist Keith Calmes' album Follow the Red Balloon [23] is named as an homage to the spirit of Pascal and Sabine.

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]

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 RED BALLOON (U)". British Board of Film Classification. 15 October 1956 . Retrieved 25 March 2016.