Spoilers · the ending
The Red Balloon: the ending, explained
Albert Lamorisse · 1956
This page gives the ending away. Not seen the film yet? Its spoiler-free guide is here.
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Spoilers · the ending
Albert Lamorisse · 1956
This page gives the ending away. Not seen the film yet? Its spoiler-free guide is here.
What happens
A gang of boys corners the red balloon and stones it to death. The boy is left crying, until balloons from all over Paris break free, gather around him, and carry him up over the rooftops.
The last image
The boy, holding a great bunch of colourful balloons by their strings, rises over the rooftops of Paris.
Two readings
What it says
The film treats imagination as fragile but unbeatable. The cruelty of the other boys is real, yet joy returns in force. It ends in fantasy because the film never explains its magic. It trusts you to feel it.