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Network is delighted to announce the release of three unique French films available in three separate packages for the first time in the UK. Juliette Binoche stars in FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON (PG), released on DVD on 22nd September 2008, RRP £14.99. This will be available the same day as FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON/THE RED BALLOON (PG), RRP £19.99 and THE RED BALLOON/WHITE MANE (PG), RRP £14.99. The latter films are two of France's most critically acclaimed children's works.

Directed by the Taiwanese arthouse legend Hou Hsiao Hsien (Café Lumiere, City of Sadness), FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON is his very first film outside Asia and was released at UK cinemas earlier this year. The veteran filmmaker extracts brilliant performances from the cast. Critics say this is one of Juliette Binoche’s strongest acting displays ever - “A delightful film, with a stunning performance by Juliette Binoche, her best” – commented The Guardian.

A mysterious red balloon affectionately follows seven-year-old Simon (Simon Iteanu) around Paris. Meanwhile his mother Suzanne (Juliette Binoche), a puppeteer, uses her vocal talents to bring life to the shows she writes. Busy with a new show, single mother Suzanne becomes more and more distressed by complications that are taking over her personal life. Suzanne decides to hire Song (Fang Song), a Taiwanese film student to help care for Simon as she tries to get a grip on her problems…

This emotional rollercoaster is inspired by the classic 1957 Palm D’Or winning short ‘The Red Balloon’ by Albert Lamorisse. FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON is the first film in a series which was initiated by the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, to celebrate the museum’s 20th anniversary. It was one of the highlights of last year’s Cannes Festival.

THE RED BALLOON (LE BALLON ROUGE)
The award-winning and critically acclaimed fantasy short film directed by Albert Lamorisse and inspiration for the new Juliette Binoche film follows the relationship between a little boy and a red balloon with a mind of its own that he befriends on the Parisian streets. Widely recognised as one of the most important films in children’s cinema this 1956 classic is the only dialogue-free film to win an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

WHITE MANE (CRIN BLANC)
The 1953 French classic and winner of Cannes prestigious Palm D’Or directed by Albert Lamorisse about a boy that tames a wild stallion called White Mane. Filmed in the marshes of Camargue in South-West France, WHITE MANE is a beautiful journey into the wilderness that remains a groundbreaking contribution to children’s cinema to this day.

FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON (PG) is a Network release
Release Date: 22nd September 2008
RRP: £14.99
Running Time: 108 mins
Screen Ratio: 1.33:1 Colour
Number of Discs: 1
Special Features: Original theatrical trailer

FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON/THE RED BALLOON (PG) is a Network release
Release Date: 22nd September 2008
RRP: £19.99
Running Time: 143 mins
Screen Ratio: 1.33:1 Colour
Number of Discs: 1
Special Features: Original theatrical trailer

THE RED BALLOON/WHITE MANE (PG) is a Network release
Release Date: 22nd September 2008
RRP: £14.99
Running Time: 70 minutes
Screen Ratio: 1.33:1 Colour
Number of Discs: 1