BALON

BALLOON (QI QIU), 2019
China | DCP, Color, 102’ | Chinese, Tibetan
Director: Pema Tseden
Cast: Wangmo Sonam, Jinpa, Tso Yangshik

Tibetan director Tseden’s film portrays the story of a family living in rural Tibet. The story begins with two children walking around blown-up condoms they found at home thinking they are balloons. At the center of the film are Drolkar, who is content with three children owing to the Chinese government’s birth control program, and her sister who chooses to become a Buddhist nun.

They both try to preserve their independence within their religious society where belief in reincarnation and the spiritual world are intense. With its impressive color palette and handheld camera, Balloon is a memorable film that addresses its characters struggling between fate and free will as well as old and new, with a warm and humorous approach.