GC-03. The Balloonists

US/UK/Austria, Feature Documentary, 2025, 86 min

In the winter of 1999, Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard and British flight instructor Brian Jones embark on the ultimate adventure: to conquer the last great aviation challenge of the 20th century. They embark on a nonstop, globe-circling journey in a hot-air balloon. Across the world, rival teams are taking off, each chasing the same dream, and the race to etch their names into history has begun. Battling savage storms, life-threatening technical failures, and the crushing toll of mental and physical exhaustion, Piccard and Jones must push beyond every limit if they hope to make it. Will they triumph — or become the last victims of a sky that refuses to forgive? PARTIALLY SUBTITLED

Directed by John Dower

Colorado Premiere