Balloon (2018)

Set against the chilling backdrop of East Germany in 1978, "Balloon" paints a riveting portrait of two families trapped under the relentless scrutiny of the German Democratic Republic. The Strelzyk and Wetzel families yearn for the allure of West German freedom, a dream suffocated by the oppressive realities of their communist regime. As their pretence of loyalty to the state disintegrates, best friends - ingenious engineer Peter Strelzyk and determined amateur physicist Günter Wetzel - start to devise an audacious, near-suicidal plan. Their daring objective? To transcend the heavily fortified Eastern bloc, spiriting their wives and children away to the West in a homemade hot air balloon. The summer of 1979 in Thüringen, East Germany, serves as the stage for their desperate escape. After weeks of secret sewing and engineering, their maiden flight takes off. Yet, fate deals them a cruel blow. The balloon, battered by rain, crash lands mere meters from the West German border. The families narrowly evade capture, but the remnants of their audacious attempt trigger an intense manhunt. The stakes escalate as they decide to try again, propelling them into a nerve-wracking race against time. On one side of the impending showdown are the relentless authorities, now alert to the possibility of a second escape attempt, and desperate to apprehend the traitors. On the other side are our would-be escapees, acutely aware that the search is closing in. They must construct a sturdier, weatherproof balloon, while leaving as few traces as possible, lest they sign their own death warrants. Released in November 2019 to mark the 30th anniversary of German reunification, "Balloon" vividly recreates one of the most celebrated escape stories of the German Cold War era. This remarkable true story serves as a testament to human courage and the indomitable spirit of freedom.

Balloon is a drama movie featuring Karoline Schuch and directed by Michael Herbig.

Balloon is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Cineverse, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Player, The Roku Channel and VUDU Free.

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