This month, the German Currents Film Festival proudly presents another two San Diego premieres at the Digital Gym. First up, Balloon, a fact-based tale, set during the cold war, of how two ordinary families attempted a daring escape along the East German border using a hot air balloon. It screens November 15 at 8 pm. And per usual, the second monthly offering is a film geared for the entire family. According to the program notes, The Flying Classroom tells the story of how “a boy who was once a perpetual outcast finds friends in a new boarding school, and united with his new peers, gets involved in a heated rivalry with a group of students from a neighboring school.” It screens November 17 at 10:30 am. If these descriptions seem a bit thin, I come by the skinny honestly. When German Currents first brought their annual film festival to town several years ago, I was their point person, introducing movies and conducting post-show interviews with directors. Now that they’ve become a monthly fixture, they no longer send review screeners. Normally, I’m able to track down copies, but these two were impossible to find. Hopefully, this will act as a friendly reminder when it comes time for next month’s presentations. (2003) — Scott Marks
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