THE BLACK BALLOON (2008)

Synopsis The Black Balloon (2008) Thomas is turning 16. His Dad is in the army and they've just moved to a town in New South Wales; his mum is pregnant; his older brother, Charlie, who's autistic, has his own adolescent sexual issues. Thomas finds Charlie an embarrassment in public, so when Thomas is attracted to Jackie, a girl in his swim class, Charlie presents any number of obstacles when she drops by their house, when the three of them go for a walk, and during a family birthday dinner. Can Thomas find a way to enter the world of teen romance and still be his brother's keeper, or is Charlie's disability going to prove more than Thomas can handle? Awards: 18 wins & 24 nominations Budget: A$5,000,000 (estimated) Worldwide Gross: $2,136,663 Soundtrack: For He's A Jolly Good Fellow (Traditional)