Albert Lamorisse

Albert Lamorisse (13 January 1922 – 2 June 1970) was a French filmmaker, film producer, and writer of short films which he began making in the late 1940s.

He first came into prominence – just after Bim (1950) – for directing and producing White Mane (1953).

This is a short film that tells a Fable of how a young boy befriends an untamable wild white stallion in the marshes of Camargue (the Petite Camargue).

Lamorisse's best known work is the short film The Red Balloon (1956), which earned him the Palme d'Or Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and an Oscar for writing the Best Original Screenplay in 1956.

He also invented the strategic board game Risk in 1957.

Lamorisse was born in Paris, France.

Lamorisse also wrote, directed and produced the well-regarded films Stowaway in the Sky (1960) and Circus Angel, as well as the documentaries Versailles and Paris Jamais Vu. In addition to films, he created the popular strategy board game Risk in 1957, originally with the title La Conquête du Monde (The Conquest of the World).

In the mid-sixties Lamorisse shot parts of The Prospect of Iceland, a documentary about Iceland, which was made by Henry Sandoz and commissioned by NATO.

Lamorisse died in a helicopter crash while filming the documentary Le Vent des amoureux (The Lovers' Wind), during a helicopter-tour of Iran in 1970.

His son and widow completed the film, based on his production notes, and released it eight years later.

It was nominated for a posthumous Oscar for best documentary.

The title The Lovers' Wind is translated into Bad-e Saba in Persian.

A saba wind is a gentle wind that blows from the northeast, symbolizing the whispers of lovers.

Albert and Claude Lamorisse had three children named Pascal, Sabine, and Fanny.

Pascal and Sabine were featured in The Red Balloon.

Short films

Feature films

Documentaries

Wins

Nominations