On the Tibetan grasslands, Darje and Drolkar live a serene and ordinary life with their three sons and grandfather. The young boys’ discovery of their parents’ dwindling supply of condoms sparks a series of embarrassments for the parents who get into arguments with other parents over their sons’ behaviour. When Drolkar’s sister returns home, now living as a nun, she is presented with a book written by a former love. This novel entitled ‘Balloon’ sets her on a path of soul-searching during her stay as she contemplates the man, their history, and her reasoning for becoming a nun in the first place. After this, the grandfather dies, forcing them to make a difficult decision that goes against official Chinese policy and breaking the family harmony.
The Asia Pacific Screen Academy expresses its respect for and acknowledgement of the South East Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of country, including the custodial communities on whose land works are created and celebrated by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. We acknowledge the continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We also pay our respects to Elders, past and present. We recognise the integral role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations peoples continue to play in storytelling and celebration spaces.
