Balance (film)

Balance is a German animated film, released in 1989. It was directed and produced by twin brothers Wolfgang and Christoph Lauenstein.

The film depicts five individuals living on a small platform floating in space. Whenever one of them moves, the others must do so as well to ensure that the platform does not tip over. The group works cooperatively to maintain a "balance" until one individual pulls a box onto the platform. Since all are curious as to what the box is, the individuals try to inspect the box and their actions disrupt the balance of the platform, and those on it. All but one of the individuals is pushed or falls off the edges of the platform. In the end, the lone individual must maintain a balance with the box, which is well out of reach.

Balance won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short of 1989.

Production

• The climactic "balancing platform" sequence from National Treasure: Book of Secrets was directly inspired by "Balance", which is mentioned in its credits.

Further reading

• Olivier Cotte (2007) Secrets of Oscar-winning animation: Behind the scenes of 13 classic short animations. (Making of '"Balance") Focal Press. ISBN 978-0240520704

External links

• Balance at the Internet Movie Database
• Balance at AllRovi
• Watch Balance at Lauenstein & Lauenstein's web site