Balomania

Director: Sissel Morell Dargis
2024 In distribution
94min

Balomania is a Polar Star Films’ production in coproduction with House of Real.

Synopsis

Balomania reveals a secret society of hot air balloon makers in Brazil’s favelas who are willing to sacrifice everything in order to fly their illegal creations, some up to 70 meters high, with fireworks.

The film’s director is initiated into the balloon brotherhood under the tutelage of legendary balloon creators like Jabá and balloon “hunters” including Ton. She forms her own complicated relationships with these extraordinary flying objects and their makers.

Balomania take us on a surreal and intimate journey in a country also confronting socio-economic decline and political collapse. It calls into question our preconceived ideas of favela communities, showing the true power of art.

Key team

Direction and cinematography: Sissel Morell Dargis
Script: Marie Olesen, Sissel Morell Dargis
Editing: Marie Schmidt, Marieke van den Bersselaar, Isabel Monteiro de Castro, Bruno Herrero
Polar Star Films’ producers: Carles Brugueras, Marieke van den Bersselaar
House of Real’s producers (DK): Jesper Jack, Marie Schmidt

Festivals

Adelaide Film Festival – Australia
Aegean Film Festival – Grecia
ARCA Film Festival – Uruguay
Baltic Sea Docs – Letonia
Biografilm Festival – Italia – Prize – «Special mention Nuovo Talenti»
Brussels Art Film Festival – Bélgica
Cabin Fever Film Festival – EEUU
Cine Las Americas – EEUU
CPH:DOX – Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival 2024 – World premiere
DOC NYC – EEUU
DocPoint – Finlandia
DocsBarcelona 2024
Docs Lisboa – Portugal
DOK Leipzig – Alemania
DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival 2025
Étonnants Voyageurs – Francia
FIFA – Montreal, Canadá «Grand Jury Prize»
Film Festival Cologne – Alemania
Filmfest Osnabrück – Alemania
FilmFest München – Alemania
FIPADOC – Festival International De Documentaires Audiovisuels 2025
iceDocs – Islandia
Inconvenient Films – Lituania
International Documentary & Short Film Festival of Kerala – India
Internationales Filmwochenende Würzburg – Alemania
Le Grand Bivouac – Francia «Prix Horizont»
Les Rencontres Du Film d’Art – Francia «Grand Jury Prize»
Les Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles – Francia
MakeDox – Macedonia «Young Onion»
Miami Film Festival – EEUU
Midbo – Colombia
Millenium Docs Against Gravity Film Festival 2024
Milwaukee Film Festival – EEUU
Mostra Sao Paulo – Brasil «Best Documentary – Audience Prize»
Movies That Matter – Países Bajos
Mriya International Film Festival – Bélgica
Nordic Film Days Lübeck – Alemania
Nordisk Panorama – Suecia «Best Documentary – Audience Prize»
Northern Lights Nordic-Baltic FF – Bielorrusia «Best Documentary – Jury prize»
One World International Human Rights Film Festival – República Checa
Rokumentti rock film festival – Finlandia
Salem Film Festival – EEUU
Santa Barbara International Film Festival – EEUU
Sydney Film Festival – Australia
TERRAE – Italia
Tirana International Film Festival – Albania «Best Documentary – Jury prize»
Vancouver International Film Festival – Canadá
Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival – Hungría «Special Mention Best Documentary»
Visions Du Réel – Suiza