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You can watch Balloon (2018) for free on Kanopy.

Two families attempt a daredevil plan to escape the GDR with a homemade hot air balloon, but it crashes just before the border. The Stasi finds traces of this attempt to escape and immediately starts investigations, while the two families are forced to build a new escape balloon. With each passing day the Stasi is closer on their heels – a nerve-wracking race against time begins.

Most historical dramas trade tension for sweeping scenery, but this claustrophobic thriller finds its terror in the frantic stitching of a homemade silk envelope. The ticking clock isn't just a narrative device; it is the sound of the Stasi closing in on a fragile dream held together by nothing but ingenuity and desperation.

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