A few weeks ago we went and saw the new Australian film The Black Balloon. It often saddens me when I see films like this - made locally and perhaps revealing more about us and the world we live in than the typical box-office fare, struggle for attention.
The Black Balloon reveals to us how many families live; how they live with their son, how they live with their brother, who has autism and the stresses and strains it puts on the family, and how the wider community engages with them. The strength of the film is its humanity, you can relate to the experience, because we've all heard the jokes made at their expense. The film puts faces on experiences not many of us have; and it is confronting for this reason.
There's no neat, tidy ending, because there are no neat and tidy endings in life.
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To answer a question I had about the title initially, the writer/director Elissa Down said that 'The Black Balloon is a metaphor for a different childhood filled with moments of chaos, joy and sadness for what could have been'.
Thanks for that review! I remember seeing the trailers for it and being intrigued by it.
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