Berlin, November 22nd, 2018
Only a few weeks after its world premiere Michael Bully Herbig´s spellbinding thriller Balloon has been sold to numerous countries around the world. In Europe these are countries such as Benelux States, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and other East-European countries. In North America so far distribution rights for Canada have been acquired, and in Asia BALLOON can be seen in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, as well as in Australia.
Director and producer Michael Bully Herbig: “We are really thrilled, that this film not only moves the people in Germany, but also thrills audiences all over the world. Matching the content of the movie across all borders.”
Kalle Friz, CEO STUDIOCANAL Germany, amends: “The unbelievable story of the flight of these two East-German families fascinates audiences all across the world. As co producers we were fully convinced of this story´s high potential from the beginning, and couldn´t be happier about the worldwide success.”
In 1979, the families Strelzyk and Wetzel ventured to escape from the GDR to freedom with a homemade hot-air balloon – eight people in a tiny gondola. Based on their story, director Michael Bully Herbig staged a captivating thriller that tells the escape of the two families as a breathless race against time.
Balloon is a herbX film production with STUDIOCANAL Film and Seven Pictures co-producing. STUDIOCANALl is responsible for world distribution. Principal photography took place at the end in 2017 in Bavaria, Thuringia and Berlin.