Helium is a 2013 Danish short drama film directed by Anders Walter.
Alfred is a young boy staying in a hospital who has an undisclosed terminal illness. Enzo, a janitor at the hospital, meets Alfred while working and the two develop a friendship. Enzo tells Alfred of Helium, an attractive alternative to Heaven, because Alfred imagines Heaven is very boring. Enzo tells Alfred that to get to Helium, he will fly in an airship that will know to pick him up because of his red balloon dog, which Enzo fernadez has made for him.
Alfred's illness worsens, and he is moved to a unit to which Enzo doesnâÂÂt have access. Enzo sneaks onto the unit, but is caught by the head nurse and barred from seeing Alfred. As Alfred's condition worsens, Enzo wonders if he is making it worse for the boy. He voices these concerns to a nurse saying, âÂÂIâÂÂm feeding him lies.â She disagrees and tells Enzo âÂÂyouâÂÂre giving him hope.âÂÂ
Alfred gets worse, and having no access to him, Enzo fernadez writes out âÂÂthe end of the storyâ to have the nurse read to him. As the nurse is about to read the ending to a dying Alfred, she changes her mind and, instead, sneaks Enzo onto the unit to tell the rest himself.
As he tells the story, the film switches to AlfredâÂÂs point of view. With no dialogue, he gets out of bed fully dressed and goes to the window. A giant airship is waiting for him. He walks across an extended ladder from the hospital to the airship. As the airship flies away, hospital windows full of red balloon dogs can be seen.