In partnership with Telescope Film

KINO! Film Salon is a monthly online club to discuss films from Germany.
 
How it works: Each month we choose a German film or series currently available to stream on U.S. platforms, watch it independently, and come together for a hosted conversation with other fans of German film.
Register For our May session, we picked Michael “Bully” Herbig’s spirited 2018 film Balloon. It recounts the tale of two East German families who build a DYI hot air balloon in an attempt to flee to the West, and to freedom. Set in 1979, Balloon is rich in period detail, from the costumes to the superbly rendered production design. The craft and attention to detail adds deep authenticity to a film that unapologetically leans into old-school charm that’s greatly helped by a vibrant cast. The result is a gripping historical drama that deftly balances pulse-pounding, classic thriller elements, with thoughtful political gravitas and a stirring depiction of human tenacity.

Hosted by Jim Kolmar

Jim programs for SXSW and Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival, and was a founding committee member of Festival Internacional de Cine Tulum (FICTU). He has participated in numerous international festival juries, panels, and committees.
 
KINO! Film Salon is a production of Telescope Film, in partnership with the German Film Office.

Ballon
Dir. Michael “Bully” Herbig
Germany, 2018
120 minutes
With Friedrich Mücke, Karoline Schuch, Alicia von Rittberg, David Kross, Thomas Kretschman