Balloon (Ballon)

Thriller, Historical – Germany – 2019 – 125′

In German with English Subtitles

Synopsis

A thriller-like true story of one of the most spectacular escapes of the 20th Century.

With a theatrical release to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Germany’s reunification, BALLOON is based on the true events of one of the most daring escapes of the Cold War in which two families living in Communist East Germany sailed over the heavily fortified border in a homemade hot-air balloon.

In the summer of 1979, the Strelzyk and Wetzel families—who had been working on their audacious plan for more than two years—try to flee East Germany in a self-made hot-air balloon. But after the balloon crash-lands just before the West German border, the Stasi find traces of the attempted escape and immediately launch an investigation. In a nerve-wracking race against the clock, the two families attempt to build a new escape balloon as the Stasi get closer and closer each day…

Support your local theater with Virtual Cinema

After a very successful award-winning festival run, BALLOON opened on March 13th in Los Angeles at the Laemmle, a few days before the theaters were closed.   Distrib Films is now offering the possibility to watch the film while supporting your favorite local movie theater. Please share this information with your friends and family around the country, as tickets can be purchased by all in the participating theaters. See the Bookings section.

Directed by

Michael Bully Herbig

CAST

Friedrich Mucke, Thomas Kretschmann, Karoline Schuch, David Kross,

CREW

Director: Michael Bully Herbig

REACTIONS

“Filmmaker Herbig and his team prove to be especially adept at contriving situations where anything anyone does causes fear, anxiety, stress and worry, leaving everyone, very much including the audience, existing on the knife’s edge of unremitting tension.”— Los Angeles Times

 
“Captures the paranoia and excitement of its time.” — The DC Linee
“Balloon revels in exploring the details of every possible kind of danger these people face, so it’s a nerve-wincher, a cracking good escape thriller…“— National Review
 
“ As spellbinding, taut and poignant as The Lives of Others. It will make you stand up and cheer!”— NYC Movie Guru

AWARDS AND FEST

2019 Audience Award – Washington DC Filmfest
2019 Opening Night Stony Brooke FF
2019 Best Director – Jefferson State Flixx Fest
2019 Best Production Design – Jefferson State Flixx Fest
2019 Audience Choice Award in the Cultural Journey category – Heartland International Film Festival
2019 Audience Award – Scottsdale Film Festival
2019 Best Feature – Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival
2019 Best Film – Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
2019 Audience Award – Washington, DC International Film Festival
2019 TV5 MONDE Award for Best International Film – St. Louis International Film Festival
2020 Director’s Choice Award for BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM – Sedona International Film Festival

Theater City State Start date
Alamo Drafthouse Phoenix AZ 3/27/2020
Mary D. Fisher Theatre Sedona AZ 4/8/2020
Mary D. Fisher Theatre Sedona AZ 4/8/2020
Galaxy Tucson Tucson AZ 4/3/2020
Galaxy Atascadero Atascadero CA 4/3/2020
Varsity, Davis Davis CA 4/3/2020
The Lark Larkspur CA 4/3/2020
The Art Theater Long Beach CA 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Los Angeles CA 3/27/2020
Laemmle Cinemas Los Angeles CA 3/30/2020
International FIlm Showcase Orinda CA 3/27/2020
Galaxy Porterville Porterville CA 4/3/2020
South Bay Film Society Redondo Beach CA 3/31/2020
Galaxy Riverbank Riverbank CA 4/3/2020
Galaxy Mission Grove Riverside CA 4/3/2020
Cinema Society San Diego CA 4/3/2020
Digital Gym San Diego CA 3/27/2020
Cinema Society San Diego CA 4/3/2020
Cinema Society @ Pebblecreek San Diego CA 4/6/2020
Alamo Drafthouse San Francisco CA 3/27/2020
Frida Cinema Santa Ana CA 4/3/2020
Sebastiani Theater Sonoma CA 3/28/2020
Cameo Cinema St Helena CA 3/31/2020
Galaxy Tulare Tulare CA 4/3/2020
Dairy Art Center Boulder CO 3/31/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Denver CO 3/27/2020
Sie Film Center Denver CO 3/27/2020
Salida Steam Plant Theater Salida CO 4/6/2020
Salida Steam Plant Theater Salida CO 4/6/2020
Avalon Theater Washington DC 3/27/2020
Galaxy Westown Movies 12 GTX Middletown DE 4/3/2020
Galaxy Main Street Movies 5 Newark DE 4/3/2020
Rehoboth Beach Film Sty Rehoboth Beach DE 3/28/2020
Aventura Arts & Cultural Center Aventura FL 4/1/2020
Aventura Arts Center Aventura FL 4/1/2020
Cafe Cinematheque International Boca Raton FL 5/8/2020
Fort Lauderdale Film Festival Fort Lauderdale FL 3/30/2020
The Polk Theatre Lakeland FL 4/3/2020
The Polk Theatre Lakeland FL 4/3/2020
Bill Cosford Cinema Miami FL 5/7/2020
Corazon Cinema and Cafe St Augustin FL 3/28/2020
All Saints Cinema/Tallahassee Film Society Tallahassee FL 4/3/2020
Lefont Film Society Atlanta GA 3/27/2020
Film Scene Iowa City IA 5/15/2020
Gene Siskel Film Center Chicago IL 3/27/2020
Emagine Frankfort Frankfort IL 4/3/2020
The Alex Cinema Alexandria IN 4/10/2020
Fort Wayne Cinema Fort Wayne IN 3/27/2020
Salina Art Center Salina KS 5/22/2020
Coolidge Corner Brookline MA 4/17/2020
Center theater for the Performing Arts Dover-Foxcroft ME 4/3/2020
The Strand Theatre Rockland ME 3/31/2020
The Michigan Theater Ann Arbor MI 5/1/2020
Emagine Birch Run Birch Run MI 4/3/2020
Emagine Palladium Birmingham MI 4/3/2020
Emagine Canton Canton MI 4/3/2020
Detroit Cinema Detroit MI 3/27/2020
The Riviera Powered by Emagine Farmington Hills MI 4/3/2020
Patriot Theater Grosse Pointe Farms MI 4/3/2020
Emagine Hartland Hartland MI 4/3/2020
Emagine Macomb Macomb MI 4/3/2020
Emagine Novi Novi MI 4/3/2020
Oxford Film Festival Oxford MI 4/2/2020
Emagine Rochester Hills Rochester Hills MI 4/3/2020
Emagine Royal Oak Royal Oak MI 4/3/2020
Emagine Saline Saline MI 4/3/2020
Vickers Theatre Three Oaks MI 4/24/2020
Emagine Delano Delano MN 4/3/2020
Emagine Eagan Eagan MN 4/3/2020
Emagine East Bethel East Bethel MN 4/3/2020
Emagine Lakeville Lakeville MN 4/3/2020
MSP FIlm Society Minneapolis MN 3/27/2020
Emagine Monticello Monticello MN 4/3/2020
Emagine Willow Creek Plymouth MN 4/3/2020
Emagine Rogers Rogers MN 4/3/2020
Emagine Waconia Waconia MN 4/3/2020
Emagine White Bear White Bear Township MN 4/3/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Woodbury MN 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Kansas City MO 3/27/2020
Screenland Armour Kansas City MO 3/30/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Springfield MO 3/27/2020
Strand Theatre Vicksburg MS 4/10/2020
Strand Theatre Vicksburg MS 4/10/2020
Art House Billings MT 5/15/2020
Charlotte Film Society Charlotte NC 3/30/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Raleigh NC 3/27/2020
Sunrise Theater Southern Pines NC 4/17/2020
Ross Media Art Center Lincoln NE 4/3/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Omaha NE 3/27/2020
The Guild Cinema Albuquerque NM 3/27/2020
Violet Crown Santa Fe NM 4/3/2020
Film Bar Scottsdale NM 4/3/2020
Taos Center for the Arts Taos NM 4/10/2020
Taos Center for the Arts Taos NM 4/10/2020
Galaxy Carson City Carson City NV 4/3/2020
Galaxy Green Valley Henderson NV 4/3/2020
Galaxy Boulevard Las Vegas NV 4/3/2020
Galaxy Cannery Las Vegas NV 4/3/2020
Galaxy Legends Sparks NV 4/3/2020
Galaxy Victorian Sparks NV 4/3/2020
Story Screen Beacon NY 4/3/2020
Story Screen Beacon NY 4/3/2020
Dowing Film Center Beacon NY 5/8/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn NY 3/27/2020
Northpark Buffalo NY
The NorthPark Buffalo NY 3/27/2020
Gold Coast Art Center Great Neck NY 4/2/2020
Cinema Art Center Huntington NY 3/27/2020
Plaza Cinema Patchogue NY 4/8/2020
Plaza Cinema Patchogue NY 4/8/2020
Capitol Arts Complex Rome NY 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers NY 3/27/2020
Esquire Theatre Cincinnati OH 4/24/2020
Mariemont Theatre Cincinnati OH 4/24/2020
Cedar Lee Cleveland OH 4/3/2020
Broadway Metro Eugene OR 4/2/2020
Salem Cinema Salem OR 4/10/2020
ArtsQuest Bethlehem PA 5/1/2020
Midtown Cinema Harrisburg PA 4/24/2020
Parkway Theater Pittsburgh PA 4/3/2020
The Tull Family Theater Sewickley PA 3/27/2020
BCRAC Towanda PA 4/2/2020
The Nickelodeon Columbia SC 4/3/2020
Park Plaza Cinema Hilton Head SC 5/1/2020
A/perture Winston Salem SC 4/8/2020
A/perture Winston Salem SC 4/8/2020
Sioux Falls Theatre Sioux Falls SD 5/1/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Austin TX 3/27/2020
Galaxy Highland Austin TX 4/3/2020
Violet Crown Austin TX 4/3/2020
Grand Avenue Belton Belton TX 4/3/2020
Grand Avenue Belton Belton TX 4/3/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Corpus Christi TX 3/27/2020
Studio Movie Grill Dallas TX 4/10/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Dallas Fort Worth TX 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse El Paso TX 3/27/2020
Grand Berry Theater Fort Worth TX 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Houston TX 3/27/2020
Museum Of Arts Houston Houston TX 4/28/2020
Museum of FIne Arts Houston TX 4/22/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Laredo TX 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Lubbock TX 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse New Braunfels TX 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse San Antonio TX 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Charlottesville VA 3/27/2020
Violet Crown Charlotteville VA 4/3/2020
Cinema Arts Theatres Fairfax VA 3/27/2020
The Naro Norfolk VA 4/24/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Northern Virginia (One Loudon and Woodbridge) VA 3/27/2020
Alamo Drafthouse Winchester VA 3/27/2020
Minor Theater Arcata WA 4/3/2020
The Pickford Cinema Bellingham WA 4/1/2020
Liberty Theater Camas WA 3/27/2020
Galaxy Gig Harbor Gig Harbor WA 4/3/2020
Galaxy Monroe Monroe WA 4/3/2020
The Grand Tacoma WA 4/3/2020
Kiggins theater Vancouver WA 4/3/2020