Balomania

In the heart of Brazil’s favelas, the director gains unprecedented access to the hidden world of the ‘balloon mafia’. For baloeiros in Rio and São Paulo, hot air balloon construction, flying and chasing is a competitive art form, and central to their sense of community and cultural heritage since colonial times. Now, authorities have made their art illegal. Dargis embarks on a wild ride to witness the extreme obsession and sacrifice required to build these spectacular balloons that reach over 70 meters high and that require over 100 people to launch into the sky.