Balloon (2019 American film)
A bullied boy discovers a floating power.
Balloon is a 2019 American short film that blends coming-of-age, fantasy, and drama. It was written and directed by Jeremy Merrifield as his thesis project for the AFI Conservatory, produced by Dream Three. The cast includes Jonah Beres and Paul Scheer. The film was a finalist for best narrative at the 2019 Student Academy Awards.
The story follows Sam Wheeler, a junior high school student. During a school shooting drill, a classmate named Jason shares a video of Sam getting punched and crying. That night, Sam sees the video has gone viral and receives cruel texts. While reading them, he finds himself floating in mid-air. He later discovers he can generate a "sonic punch" after hitting his own reflection. In gym class, Sam climbs a rope and becomes lighter, reaching the top before a whistle causes him to fall hard. In the locker room, Jason humiliates Sam by peeing on him while others laugh, and Sam’s friend Adam does nothing. Sam uses his power to open lockers with a shockwave. After school, Jason confronts Sam, who jumps high and grabs Jason’s collar. A crowd urges Sam to punch Jason, but instead he releases a shockwave that destroys their phones, preventing them from filming. Adam tries to support Sam, but Sam rejects him. Sam then floats above a forest clearing, looking over the suburbs. The film ends without confirming whether his powers are real.
Balloon premiered at the Palm Springs International ShortFest in 2019. It qualified for the Oscars by winning the Grand Prix at HollyShorts Film Festival and was nominated for a Student Academy Award. It also won Best Drama Series and The Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s 40th annual College Television Awards.
IndieWire compared the film to *Joker*, noting that while that film explores the origin of a villain, *Balloon* shows the making of a hero. They called it a critique of the superhero mythos, favoring softness and sensitivity over brute strength.
- Release year
- 2019
- Country
- United States
- Genre
- Coming-of-age fantasy drama
- Director
- Jeremy Merrifield
- Stars
- Jonah Beres, Paul Scheer
- Production company
- Dream Three
- Notable recognition
- Finalist in 2019 Student Academy Awards
Lore & Background
The film follows junior high schooler Sam Wheeler, who participates in a school shooting drill. While hiding in a classroom closet, another student, Jason, shares a video showing Sam being punched in the face and crying. Sam's best friend Adam tells Jason to leave Sam alone. That night, Sam discovers the video has gone viral and receives demeaning texts from classmates. While reading them, he realizes he is floating in mid-air and hits his head on the ceiling. Sam discovers his 'sonic punch' ability after punching his reflection in his bathroom mirror. The next day, Sam volunteers to climb a tall rope in gym class. As he climbs, he becomes lighter, reaches the top, and looks out the window at treetops. After hearing the gym coach's whistle, he plummets hard to the ground. In the locker room showers, Jason pees on Sam as a joke; everyone laughs, and Adam does not intervene. Sam channels his power into a shockwave that opens a row of gym lockers, but all the boys are gone. After school, Jason approaches Sam, concerned he may have told a teacher about the bullying. Sam uses his powers to jump high into the air and lands with his hand around Jason's collar. A group of students circles them and encourages Sam to punch Jason. Sam releases a shockwave that destroys the students' phones, preventing them from filming, and leaves. Adam follows and tries to show support, but Sam rejects him, still hurt that Adam ghosted him earlier. Sam enters a forest clearing beside the school's campus, where he floats above the landscape. The end of the film leaves us questioning whether Sam's superpowers were real.
Reader's Guide
Balloon premiered at the Palm Springs International ShortFest in 2019. It qualified for the Oscars by winning the Grand Prix at HollyShorts Film Festival in the same year and was nominated for a Student Academy Award. The short film won Best Drama Series and The Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation’s 40th annual College Television Awards. IndieWire compared the film to Joker, saying where that film 'explores the genesis of a villain,' Balloon 'depicts the making of a hero,' and is a 'critique of the superhero mythos, offering an alternative world that prizes softness and sensitivity over brute strength.' The film's significance lies in its reimagining of the superhero origin story as a response to bullying and school violence, using fantasy elements to explore themes of vulnerability and empowerment. Its festival success and award recognition highlight its impact as a student thesis project that gained broader attention.
Did You Know?
- Balloon was produced as Jeremy Merrifield's thesis for his studies at the AFI Conservatory.
- The film was a finalist in the 2019 Student Academy Awards for best narrative.
- It won the Grand Prix at HollyShorts Film Festival, qualifying it for the Oscars.
- The film won Best Drama Series and The Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award at the College Television Awards.
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