The early 1980s. On the sweeping plains of Tibet, Dargye and Drolkar lead a quite life with their three sons. When their two boisterous youngest sons have blown up their parents' condoms like balloons this not only outrages the entire village in Tibet, but more practically: they have no more condoms. The shepherd couple already have three children, and as China has recently introduced its one-child policy, they can't have any more. But Dargye is as horny as one of his stud rams, so some form of contraception is essential.
“Balloon explores the relationship between reality and soul. Tibetan people believe that only the flesh perishes while the soul lives on. When the Buddhist faith crashes with the reality of modern society, they now have a choice to make.” (Pema Tseden)
Pema Tseden
Born in in 1969 in Qinghai, Tibet. He graduated in Tibetan language and literature and first worked as a primary school teacher and a civil servant. Then he pursued studies at China's most prestigious film school, Beijing Film Academy, where he became the Academy's first-ever Tibetan student. A writer and filmmaker, Pema Tseden's films have earned him a number of awards.