The White Balloon
a JAFAR PANAHI picture
Synopsis
For New Year’s, seven-year-old Razieh is determined to buy a goldfish (a traditional symbol of life in Iranian culture). The young girl manages to convince her mother into giving her money, then heads to the marketplace alone. Razieh enjoys the excitement of her first experience away from her parents. She is set back when she loses the money, but her independent spirit remains unbeatable… Experienced in real time, Razieh’s wide-eyed misadventures effectively convey the impact that the simplest of events can dramatically leave upon a child.
Trailer
Stills
Press
"By putting itself in sync with the rhythms of everyday life, it offers a reminder that the simplest forms of filmmaking can be the most satisfying."
LOS ANGELES TIMES
"Raziah takes everything at face value, forcing us to look again at people and situations we would immediately judge as good or bad—reason enough to see this film."
FILM.COM
"Without it ever being said, we get to meet and deeply appreciate some of the Iranian people who never make the news."
JAM MOVIES
"Panahi brings film back to its elemental magic."
FILM.COM
Festivals
& Awards
Cannes Film Festival
Camera D’or
FIPRESCI Prize
Cicae Award
Toronto International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival
Tokyo Film Festival
Gold Prize
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
NYFCC Award - Best Foreign Language Film
São Paulo International Film Festival
Best Film
Valladolid International Film Festival
Nominated Golden Spike
Torino International Festival of Young Cinema
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Sudbury Film Festival
Best International Feature
Cast & Crew
| Aïda Mohammadkhani | |
|---|---|
| Mohsen Khalifi | |
| Fereshteh Sadr Orfani | |
| Anna Borkowska | |
| Mohammad Shahani |
| Director | Jafar Panahi |
|---|---|
| Script Supervisor | Abbas Kiarostami |
| Producer | Kurosh Mazkouri |
| Cinematographer | Farzad Jowdat |
| Production Design | Hamid Reza Ashtianpou, Jafar Panahi |
| Editor | Jafar Panahi |
| Sound | Said Ahmadi, Mehdi Dejbodi, Mojtaba Mortazavi |
Releases