Nostalgia Wrapped Up in Travel Dreams: The Red Balloon

I had a sudden memory last night of a magical movie which left an impression on me as a small kid. After a little searching, I found a full version of short film The Red Balloon. Honestly I can't remember who showed the movie to me, but I thank them. It not only captured my imagination, it planted a seed for what would become a great love affair with France - and travel.

It's not only nostalgic because I saw it as a child, it's a reminder of a time when people had attention spans. The filmmaker, Albert Lamorisse, used his own kids as actors. It doesn't have a yellow brick road, CGI, or robots that transform into cars and trucks. No explosions either. But it's a fantasy film nonetheless, and a captivating one at that. I double-dog dare you to watch the whole thing.

The 34-minute film won the Palme d'Or Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and a 1956 Oscar for best original screenplay. Other fun fact: Lamorisse is also the guy who created the board game "Risk".

Without further ado, The Red Balloon (Le Ballon rouge).

Enchanting.