The White Balloon

The White Balloon

Directed by Jafar Panahi

Produced by I.R.I.B. Channel 2, Ferdos Films

199585 min7.5 / 10

A gentle, observational story about a child's vulnerability in an indifferent urban world, told with modest warmth and a focus on small-scale human interactions.

Several people try to take advantage of a little girl's innocence to hustle money her mom gave to her to buy a goldfish with.

Questions people ask

  • Is The White Balloon violent? No. Less violent than 92% of films.

  • Is The White Balloon scary? Not especially. Less frightening than 65% of films.

  • Is The White Balloon easy watching? Somewhat. More comforting than 62% of films.

  • Is The White Balloon sad? Not especially. Less sad than 59% of films.

  • Does The White Balloon end with hope? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

91/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

There is almost nothing else like this.

Rarity90

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise95

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love88

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like The White Balloon

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as The White Balloon

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like The White Balloon, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like The White Balloon, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like The White Balloon, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

Share thisXBlueskyReddit