In the summer of 1979, two East German families attempt the impossible. In a makeshift hot-air balloon, they risk their lives and fly towards West Germany with hopes of freedom and a better life. Unfortunately, the balloon crash-lands just before they reach the West German border and the Stasi soon discover evidence of the attempted escape. In a nerve-wracking race against the clock, the two families must now rush to build a new escape balloon before...

In 90 minutes, we see the GDR more sharply, more clearly: the skater subculture shows that not all was grey-on-grey and drab clouds of Trabantfumes. This Wildfremd production (Ronald Vietz& Michael Schobel) by director Marten Persiel takes original clips of the 'wheel-board-riders,' straight out of the East German scene in the '80s, and mixes it with animations and reencounters with theprotagonists today. It is not just a well thought out story on...