Balance Film

In a small town plunged into darkness, two children, Kyona and Adriel, are separated from their parents and, facing the path of exile alone, embark on a heroic journey that will take them from childhood to adolescence, in search of refuge, peace and the hope of finding their family.

September 1989 in the GDR. With the change of the general mood in the country, the life of 12-year-old FRITZI changes as well. Her best friend Sophie has fled with her mother through Hungary to West Germany and the only thing Fritzi has left is Sophie's little dog Sputnik. But Fritzi misses Sophie just as much as her little four-legged friend does. Therefore, she decides to bring Sputnik to Sophie. But there is only one way to get there: over the strictly guarded border. A very dangerous adventure for a 12-year-old girl and a small dog...

It's the summer of 1987, and the young Schuster family from the Leipzig district is heading on vacation. With their Trabant and trailer, they set off for a small private accommodation near the border of what was then West Germany. This autobiographical animated documentary follows the family on their journey, providing a glimpse into the curious details of a typical GDR vacation so close to the western border. Between the Volkspolizei, border patrols, shortages, and idyllic beach scenes in East Germany's vacation paradise, this animated docufilm swings back and forth. Personal memories and carefully documented facts merge into a travel diary brought to life through animation.