Le ballon rouge

Le ballon rouge was published in 1956 to accompany Albert Lamorisse’s acclaimed short film of the same name, which won the Palme d'Or for Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival that year. The book serves as a literary adaptation of the film’s narrative, capturing the whimsical and poignant story of a young boy and his sentient balloon wandering through the streets of post-war Ménilmontant, Paris.

The design of the book is characterized by its integration of high-quality photographic stills from the film, which contrast with the stark, cinematic beauty of the cityscape. Lamorisse utilized these visuals to extend the visual language of his cinematography into a printed medium, emphasizing the balloon as a vibrant, singular splash of color against a grayscale urban backdrop. It was well-received by critics and audiences alike for its dreamlike atmosphere and has since become a staple of international children’s literature.