A wild dive into the secret subculture of Brazilian balloon builders — a documentary action film about the quest for freedom of expression
12 november ONLINE. from 00:00 to 23:59
Balomania
Dir. Sissel Morell Dargis | Denmark, Spain | 2024
debut
A wild dive into the secret subculture of Brazilian balloon builders — a documentary action film about the quest for freedom of expression
93 min.
Documentary
12 november ONLINE. from 00:00 to 23:59
Deep within the Brazilian favelas, a secret community is planning their next artistic action. They are the baloeiros, the creators of hot air balloons. Rugged, tattooed Latin American men may spend years gluing sheets of paper together and tens of thousands of dollars to build a balloon the size of an apartment building, which will then soar into the sky, painted with vibrant colors and portraits of 2pac, Pelé, or Rocky Balboa. Different teams constantly compete to see whose balloon is the largest, most beautiful, and most reliable. Meanwhile, this unusual hobby is strictly punished in Brazil — launching balloons can lead to up to six years in prison. As a result, an integral part of the baloeiros culture is the ongoing cat-and-mouse games with the police. Danish-Spanish director Sissel Morell Dargis, who has been arrested multiple times for graffiti, spent several years earning the trust of the "balloon mafia" to create this gripping gonzo film—with car chases, grand balloon launches, as well as incredible stories of a secret brotherhood on the margins of society and the pursuit of freedom through illegal art.
Deep within the Brazilian favelas, a secret community is planning their next artistic action. They are the baloeiros, the creators of hot air balloons. Rugged, tattooed Latin American men may spend years gluing sheets of paper together and tens of thousands of dollars to build a balloon the size of an apartment building, which will then soar into the sky, painted with vibrant colors and portraits of 2pac, Pelé, or Rocky Balboa. Different teams constantly compete to see whose balloon is the largest, most beautiful, and most reliable. Meanwhile, this unusual hobby is strictly punished in Brazil — launching balloons can lead to up to six years in prison. As a result, an integral part of the baloeiros culture is the ongoing cat-and-mouse games with the police. Danish-Spanish director Sissel Morell Dargis, who has been arrested multiple times for graffiti, spent several years earning the trust of the "balloon mafia" to create this gripping gonzo film—with car chases, grand balloon launches, as well as incredible stories of a secret brotherhood on the margins of society and the pursuit of freedom through illegal art.