Ballon plot
"One of the most daring escapes of the Cold War."
Summer 1979 in Thuringia. The Strelzyk and Wetzel families have a daring plan. They want to flee from the GDR to the West in a self-made hot air balloon. Even when the balloon is built, the father Günter Wetzel remains against the escape. He's afraid the balloon is too small. With four people, the Strelzyk family embarks on the life-threatening adventure. Shortly before the border, however, the balloon suddenly starts to descend due to technical problems and a nerve-racking race against time begins.