Balloon (2019 American film) explained

Balloon
Director:Jeremy Merrifield
Producer:Christina Cha
Screenplay:Jeremy Merrifield
Dave Testa
Music:Ali Helnwein
Cinematography:Frances Kroon
Editing:Bowei Yue
Studio:AFI Conservatory
Dream Three Films
Runtime:16 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English

Balloon is a 2019 American short coming-of-age fantasy drama film written and directed by Jeremy Merrifield and produced by Dream Three Films as Merrifield's thesis for the completion of his studies at the AFI Conservatory.[1] [2] [3] It stars Jonah Beres and Paul Scheer and explores gender stereotypes and toxic masculinity associated with boyhood.[4] [5] [6]

Balloon premiered at AFI on February 28, 2019 and bean its film festival run at the Palm Springs International ShortFest that year.[7] The film qualified for the Oscars by winning the Grand Prix at HollyShorts Film Festival in 2019[8] [9] and was nominated for a Student Academy Award. The short film won both Best Drama Series and The Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s 40th annual College Television Awards.[10]

Plot

Junior high schooler, Sam Wheeler, wants to do nothing more than keep his head down, get through the day, and hang out with his friend Adam. All of that changes in the aftermath of a fight with Jason Kingsley as their classmates continuously share a recording of the fight online and send Sam derisive digital messages. As a consequence, Adam, too, begins to pull away. While Sam is still trying to suppress the rage, he discovers he has a latent super-ability. Backed into a corner and possessing the power to do something about it, the fate of Sam’s future hangs in the balance of his choice.[11]

Reception

IndieWire compared the film to Joker, saying where that film "explores the genesis of a villain," Balloon "depicts the making of a hero," while describing it as "emotionally vivid and delicately rendered" and calling it "a timely critique of the superhero mythos, offering an alternative world that prizes softness and sensitivity over brute strength." The Independent Critic called Balloon "one of the best short films of 2019."[12]

Accolades

!Year!Presenter/Festival!Award/Ceremony!Status
2020College Television AwardsBest Drama Series
Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award
2019HollyShorts Film FestivalGrand Prix (Oscar Qualifying)[13]
2019New Orleans Film FestivalAudience Award / Jury Special Mention[14]
2019Napa Valley Film FestivalBest Narrative Short [15]
2019Student Academy AwardsBest Narrative (Domestic)
2019Palm Springs International Short FestBest Student Short
2019Heritage Award[16]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BALLOON Dream Three Films. 2020-08-21. Dream Three. en.
  2. Web site: 2019-11-07. Balloon by Jeremy Merrifield Drama. 2020-08-21. Directors Notes. en-GB.
  3. Web site: 2019-08-23. 5 Things I Learned While Making My AFI Thesis Film. 2020-08-21. No Film School. en.
  4. Web site: 2019-11-09. "BALLOON" Is A Vital Exploration Of Toxic Masculinity. 2020-08-21. What We Seee. en.
  5. Web site: Davidson. Douglas. 2019-08-27. Watch the birth of a modern superhero in 2019 Student Academy Award nominee short film "Balloon".. 2020-08-21. Elements of Madness. en-US.
  6. Web site: The Independent Critic - "Balloon" is One of the Best Short Films of 2019. 2020-08-21. www.theindependentcritic.com.
  7. Web site: Balloon Palm Springs International Film Festival. 2020-08-21. www.psfilmfest.org.
  8. Web site: Balloon by Jeremy Merrifield Drama Short Film. 2020-08-21. Short of the Week.
  9. Web site: 2019-08-08. Meet the 2019 Student Academy Awards Finalists. 2020-08-21. Oscars.org Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. en.
  10. Web site: Hipes. Patrick. 2020-05-31. 40th College Television Awards Winners Unveiled. 2020-08-21. Deadline. en.
  11. Web site: 2019-12-05. Altruistic Models, Recovering Veterans, Looney Tunes and More at TheWrap's Short Film Showcase. 2020-08-21. TheWrap. en-US.
  12. Web site: Dry. Jude. 2019-10-15. Queer Short With Oscar Prospects Tackles Toxic Masculinity and Parallels 'Joker' — Watch. 2020-08-21. IndieWire. en.
  13. Web site: 2019-08-18. 'Balloon,' 'The Orphan' and 'Sister' Win Oscar-Qualifying Awards at HollyShorts Film Festival. 2020-08-21. TheWrap. en-US.
  14. Web site: 2019-10-29.
    1. NOFF2019 Audience Award Winners Announced
    . 2020-08-21. New Orleans Film Society. en-US.
  15. Web site: 2019-11-17. 2019 Napa Valley Film Festival Announces Festival Award Winners. 2020-08-21. NVFF • NOV 10 - 14. en-US.
  16. Web site: ASC Selects 2019 Student Heritage Awards Nominees - The American Society of Cinematographers. 2020-08-21. theasc.com.