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IMDbPro

Balloon

Original title: Ballon
  • 20182018
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
11K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
17,545
2,347
Karoline Schuch, Friedrich Mücke, and Tilman Döbler in Balloon (2018)
Watch Trailer [OV]
Play trailer0:24
2 Videos
52 Photos
DramaHistoryThriller
East Germany, 1979. After initially failing to flee from the East to the West in a self-built hot-air balloon, two families struggle to make a second attempt, while the East German State Pol... Read allEast Germany, 1979. After initially failing to flee from the East to the West in a self-built hot-air balloon, two families struggle to make a second attempt, while the East German State Police are chasing them.East Germany, 1979. After initially failing to flee from the East to the West in a self-built hot-air balloon, two families struggle to make a second attempt, while the East German State Police are chasing them.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
11K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
17,545
2,347
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Michael Herbig
    • Writers
      • Kit Hopkins(screenplay)
      • Thilo Röscheisen(screenplay)
      • Michael Herbig(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Friedrich Mücke
      • Karoline Schuch
      • David Kross
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Michael Herbig
    • Writers
      • Kit Hopkins(screenplay)
      • Thilo Röscheisen(screenplay)
      • Michael Herbig(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Friedrich Mücke
      • Karoline Schuch
      • David Kross
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 53User reviews
    • 59Critic reviews
    • 53Metascore
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 2 nominations

    Videos2

    Trailer [English SUB]
    Trailer 2:19
    Trailer [English SUB]
    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 0:24
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos52

    Thomas Kretschmann, Karoline Schuch, David Kross, Alicia von Rittberg, and Friedrich Mücke in Balloon (2018)
    Karoline Schuch, Friedrich Mücke, Jonas Holdenrieder, and Tilman Döbler in Balloon (2018)
    Karoline Schuch, Friedrich Mücke, Jonas Holdenrieder, and Tilman Döbler in Balloon (2018)
    Jonas Holdenrieder and Emily Kusche in Balloon (2018)
    Thomas Kretschmann in Balloon (2018)
    Karoline Schuch, David Kross, Alicia von Rittberg, and Friedrich Mücke in Balloon (2018)
    Karoline Schuch, Friedrich Mücke, and Jonas Holdenrieder in Balloon (2018)
    Thomas Kretschmann in Balloon (2018)
    Karoline Schuch and Friedrich Mücke in Balloon (2018)
    David Kross in Balloon (2018)
    Balloon (2018)
    Balloon (2018)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Friedrich Mücke
    Friedrich Mücke
    • Peter Strelzyk
    Karoline Schuch
    Karoline Schuch
    • Doris Strelzyk
    David Kross
    David Kross
    • Günter Wetzel
    Alicia von Rittberg
    Alicia von Rittberg
    • Petra Wetzel
    Thomas Kretschmann
    Thomas Kretschmann
    • Oberstleutnant Seidel
    Jonas Holdenrieder
    • Frank Strelzyk
    Tilman Döbler
    • Andreas 'Fitscher' Strelzyk
    Christian Näthe
    Christian Näthe
    • Hauptmann Heym
    Till Patz
    • Peterchen Wetzel
    Ben Teichmann
    • Andreas Wetzel
    Ronald Kukulies
    • Erik Baumann
    Emily Kusche
    Emily Kusche
    • Klara Baumann
    Sebastian Hülk
    Sebastian Hülk
    • Oberfeldwebel Lesch
    Gernot Kunert
    • Oberstleutnant Schirra
    Ulrich Brandhoff
    Ulrich Brandhoff
    • Oberstleutnat Tornow
    • (as Ulrich Friedrich Brandhoff)
    Peter Trabner
    • Apotheker
    Bernd Michael Lade
    • Witzke (Oberst)
    Kai Ivo Baulitz
    Kai Ivo Baulitz
    • Strehle (Leutnant)
    • Director
      • Michael Herbig
    • Writers
      • Kit Hopkins(screenplay)
      • Thilo Röscheisen(screenplay)
      • Michael Herbig(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film depicts the construction and launching of two improvised hot-air balloons. There were actually three. The first was an utter failure, because they had utilized a cotton-based fabric that was porous and leaked air massively.
    • Crazy credits
      The closing credits show multiple photos of the real-life subjects of the film: including hospital photos of Wetzel (whose leg was broken on impact) and East German crime scene photos of the first failed balloon attempt.
    • Connections
      Featured in D'après une histoire vraie: Libres comme l'air (2021)
    • Soundtracks
      Unsere Heimat
      (Our Homeland)

      Composed by Hans Naumilkat

      Lyrics by Herbert Keller

    User reviews53

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Up in the air
    'Why do we bother guarding the border? Wouldn't we be better off without those traitors?' This question by a Stasi-official pinpoints the paradox of communism: if a system without freedom would be better than a free society, why would citizens escape this system? The German film 'Ballon' doesn't elaborate on the pros and cons of political systems. Instead, it is a thriller filled with suspense, about two families trying to cross the border between East and West in a home made hot air balloon. The thriller-element is far more important than the political side of the story. The director doesn's shy away from classic Hollywood screenwriting clichés. But he gets away with it. I was gripped by the story, although it's clear that it's made more exciting than it was in reality. The excellent wikipedia-entry 'East German balloon escape' is interesting reading material for those who want to compare the film with reality. Besides being a fine thriller, 'Ballon' also shows very well the effects authoritarian societies have on its citizens. They risk their own lives and those of their young children, in order to stop living in a big lie. Many films have shown the gruesome aspects of East German communism, but once again I was amazed by the cruelty of people oppressing each other.
    helpful•28
    12
    • rubenm
    • May 12, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 27, 2018 (Germany)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • France
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Languages
      • German
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Balon
    • Filming locations
      • Nordhalben, Bavaria, Germany
    • Production companies
      • herbX Film
      • StudioCanal
      • SevenPictures Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $34,222
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,799,591
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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