Stowaway in the Sky

Originally titled Le Voyage en Ballon, Stowaway in the Sky is a disarmingly simple French-made children's story. The plot is implicit in the title: A small child, fascinated by a lighter-than-air balloon, clambers aboard. The balloon takes flight, lifting the child upward to an amazing adventure. The land-bound adults have conniptions as the balloon wafts by; the child has nothing more than a great time. The film was directed by Albert Lamorisse, who earlier produced a similar-themed, award winning short subject, The Red Balloon. Released in France in 1960, then distributed in the US four years later by United Artists.