Saturday, August 10 at 2pm FAMILY MATINEE Red Balloon / White Mane
“ The Red Balloon and White Mane have been acclaimed throughout the world as two of the finest films ever made for— and about— children. The stories French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse tells in these sharply crafted featurettes are quite simple, yet so skillful and subtle are the techniques he utilizes that these tales of a magical balloon and a wild white stallion cut straight to the heart of a child’ s view of the world. Though shot on actual locations, both films are fantasies— children’ s daydreams and“ make believe” play activities made real before the camera’ s eye. It’ s a world every child will recognize instinctively— and every adult will remember with pleasure.”— David Ehrenstein
Red Balloon dir. Albert Lamorisse, France, 1952, 35mm, color, French with English subtitles, 34 min.
Newly restored on 35mm Albert Lamorisse’ s exquisite The Red Balloon remains one of the most beloved children’ s films of all time. In this deceptively simple, nearly wordless tale, a young boy discovers a stray balloon, which seems to have a mind of its own, on the streets of Paris. The two become inseparable, yet the world’ s harsh realities finally interfere. With its glorious palette and allegorical purity, the Academy Award – winning The Red Balloon has enchanted movie lovers, young and old, for generations.
White Mane dir. Albert Lamorisse, France, 1952, 35mm, b / w, French with English subtitles, 39 min.
In the south of France, in a vast plain region called the Camargue, lives White Mane, a magnificent stallion and the leader of a herd of wild horses too proud to let themselves be broken by humans. Only Folco, a young fisherman, manages to tame him. A strong friendship grows between the boy and the horse, as the two go looking for the freedom that the world of men won’ t allow them. Long unavailable in the U. S., this extraordinarily shot wonder from Albert Lamorisse, the director of The Red Balloon, is a work of technical sophistication and immense natural beauty.
Special discounted ticket price: $ 5 for everyone!