The title of this film refers to the final scene (and indeed frame) of the film, and it is key to understanding the central message. Whilst the most part of the runtime is spent following the little girl Razieh around the city streets of Tehran, the film ends with her and her brother running away out of sight, and instead draws focus on the Hazara boy standing there alone, clutching his single balloon. Far from being a heart-warming tale, The White Balloon tells of childhood selfishness, greed and desperation, amongst other things. In the film, these traits are shared by all the other (apparently) grown-up adults too: the father who becomes distressed over a bar of soap, the mother who is too busy to help her child, the shady snake charmers who try to steal Razieh's money, and the various shopkeepers and people out and about. All these people are out for themselves. It is perhaps Panahi's (or Kiarostami's) opinion that whilst the girl and her brother's childhood impatience and moody behaviour can be tolerated due to sheer naivety, the fact these traits are still abundant in mature people is to be decried. The only person who possesses none of these failings is the balloon seller, who selfishly helps the girl retrieve her money. In the end he is left thankless.
The simple title belies this films widespread reproach of modern society, as the film is played out in real-time (lending it a disarming verisimilitude) in the cultural and economic centre of Iran.
The simple title belies this films widespread reproach of modern society, as the film is played out in real-time (lending it a disarming verisimilitude) in the cultural and economic centre of Iran.