What makes someone want to throw themselves off a cliff? That’s a question that the directors of FLY, a new National Geographic documentary about BASE jumping, spent seven years exploring while making the film.
Directors Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau say their doc asks, “Are you living the life that you want to live? Are you really living with intention?” It also contains some amazing imagery of people in wingsuits taking flight or plunging off cliff with only a rapidly deployed parachute to break their fall.
FLY is now ready for release, including some limited screenings in IMAX cinemas, and the breathtaking trailer has just been released.
The acronym BASE comes from the four fixed objects the jumpers most often jump from: Buildings, Antennas, Spans (aka, bridges) and Earth (aka, rock formations).
The documentary follows three couples from the world of BASE jumping: Jimmy and Marta, affectionately known as the “Mom and Pop” of BASE jumping; wingsuit pilot Scotty and his partner, Julia; and Amber and Espen, whose bond is tested by triumph and tragedy.
Schwarz and Clusiau began working on FLY following the death of well-known climber Dean Potter, who lost his life while BASE jumping at Yosemite National Park.
While it's not clear from the trailer whether the jumps in the film were illegal, many popular sites for BASE jumping expressly forbid it.
A BASE jumper died last week, when his parachute failed to save him while attempting an illegal BASE jump in the Grand Canyon.
“We were intrigued by these people who wanted to jump off cliffs with parachutes and wondered about their motivations,” says Schwarz. “We had this idea that maybe [BASE jumpers] are part of this crazy, reckless death cult or are empty adrenaline seekers, but we quickly found out how amazing they were and how full of life they were. That’s when we started filming.
“Our films, much like our approach, seek to raise questions rather than provide answers. Who are these individuals, and what drives them to risk their lives for a passion, knowing it could possibly kill them? Standing on the edge of a cliff and leaping into the void requires a willingness to sacrifice everything – be it the love of your life or the life you love.”
The film will get a limited IMAX release in over 300 theaters on September 2 and 3, 2024 in the US. It will then make its broadcast debut on September 24, 2024, on the National Geographic Channel on Hulu and Disney+ (check local listings for screening outside the US).
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