The spectacle of hundreds or even thousands of lanterns rising into the night sky is breathtaking, but few people have the opportunity to experience first-hand. What’s the second best thing? Go to someplace like the Apollo Theatre to see some movies that feature this thrilling experience. You can also rent or buy one of these movies and watch it from the comfort of your own home. Below are a few movies that will give you the thrill of that rising light without your needing to be there in person.

 

Tangled (2010) – This animated Disney classic puts a new twist on the story of Rapunzel, who has spent her life locked in a tower and dreams of seeing the lanterns that arrive on her birthday each year up close. Her quest of self-discovery culminates in her experience of the lantern ceremony, a yearly commemoration of her by the parents, the king and queen. Light plays an enormous role in the film, and this illuminating scene is one of the most gorgeous in any Disney film.

 

 

The Impossible (2012) – This film is based on the true story of one vacationing family in Thailand that survived the devastating tsunami that killed more than 100,000 people in December of 2004. The lantern ceremony in which the family participates on Christmas is a shining moment of lustrous beauty that precedes the terror and uncertainty to come. The lanterns are representative of the hope that must sustain them if they are to survive their ordeal.

 

 

 

 

Lantern Festival Adventure (1979) – Another film that provides a close look at lanterns dotting a night sky is this film that was made in Taiwan. While it is not as accessible to English-speaking audiences as the first two, it comes out of a context in which this ceremony is traditional and familiar. Actors in this movie include Chang Ku-Chine and Huan-Kuo Liu.

 

 

Water Lanterns (2011) – Lanterns are often connected with grief, as they are meant to evoke a realisation of light and beauty in the midst of darkness. In this movie, a Japanese-American girl has a particularly personal connection to the traditional ceremony for the festival of the dead when she has to find a way to tell her parents that her brother has committed suicide. Written and directed by James Renee Williams, it is a short but powerful film.

 

 

These are just some examples of movies featuring lanterns that light up the night sky. You may not be able to go to such a ceremony yourself, but you can bring one to you through the magic of cinema.

Why not create your own picture film and send it to us?! Click here to Buy Chinese Lanterns

Tags: chinese lanterns, films, floating lanterns, sky lanterns, tangled, the impossible
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 5th, 2013 at 9:16 AM and is filed under General News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.