The Red Balloon

It made me gay.

Yes, we watched it every year in school and it bored me to tears every time.

Why did they show it to us so regularly? Was this some kind of Cold War deep state evilness?

It was meant to be arty yet something kids could relate to. It was supposed to introduce you to party things.

^arty things

Yeah you're right. Lots of arty farty hippy dippy teachers back then.

Yes, that was like required viewing in grade school. That film and also a Japanese film called Komatsu. In English it was called "Fatty and Skinny." It was about two boys who get bullied in school. One is fat and the other is skinny and they eventually become friends.

Not long after filming "The Red Balloon" large parts of Belleville, area of Paris faced urban renewal of a sort. Buildings were torn down and either replaced with new or land was used to create a rather beautiful park.

Père Lachaise Cemetery is located in the area, so if you've made that trek you've been.

Personally like Belleville since it is one of few areas that escaped Baron Haussmann's efforts so you can find plenty of "old" Paris

I grew up in NYC too and yes, public school standard at Friday assemblies throughout elementary and junior high in the late 70s. That, and J. T.

That's NOT a balloon! It's a red ball that was suspended on a wire.

I also had the picture book - very 60s - lots of full page film stills. I was always confused disturbed by how old his mother looked. OTOH since I was a kid I’ve always wanted a Paris style apt with the big windows and the elaborate wrought iron railings.

It seems mothers showed it at every kids birthday party in the early 60's.

OMG projected films at birthday parties. I had completely forgotten about that. My, I'm old and I'm not even 60. Some aspects of the 60's seem as old as the 30s, now.

I fucking hate this film. It appears to be about nothing except the ability of kids to be horrible to each other. The red balloon "dies" and the little boy is sad and then hey, fuck it, here come 100 replacements so who cares?

Vomit.

Yes, saw this every year in my rural Oregon elementary school in the 60s/70s. Also “Peter and the Wolf” narrated by Sterling Holloway and that “Grand Canyon Suite” travelogue.