The Rescue | Nat Geo Doc Films

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ABOUT THE FILM

The Rescue

PG

October 8, 2021

THE RESCUE chronicles the enthralling, against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018: the daring rescue of twelve boys and their coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand. Academy Award®-winning directors and producers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin keep viewers on the edge of their seats as they use a wealth of never-before-seen material and exclusive interviews to piece together the high stakes mission, highlighting the efforts of the Royal Thai Navy SEALs and U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and details the expert cave divers' audacious venture to dive the boys to safety. THE RESCUE brings alive one of the most perilous and extraordinary rescues in modern times, shining a light on the high-risk world of cave diving, the astounding courage and compassion of the rescuers, and the shared humanity of the international community that united to save the boys.

Rated: PG
Release Date: October 8, 2021

BIOS

About the Filmmakers

  • Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

    DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER

    Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi is an Academy® Award-winning filmmaker. Most recently Vasarhelyi directed and produced “Free Solo,” an intimate, unflinching portrait of rock climber Alex Honnold, which was awarded a BAFTA and the Academy® Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019. The film also received seven Emmy® awards. Vasarhelyi’s other films as a director include “Meru” (Oscars Shortlist 2016; Sundance Audience Award 2015); “Incorruptible” (Truer Than Fiction Independent Spirit Award 2016); “Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love” (Oscilloscope, 2009), which premiered at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals; “A Normal Life” (Tribeca Film Festival, Best Documentary 2003); and “Touba” (SXSW, Special Jury Prize Best Cinematography in 2013).

    Vasarhelyi has directed pieces for the New York Times Op Docs, Netflix’s design series “Abstract” , ESPN’s “Enhanced” among others. She has received grants from the Sundance Institute, the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Bertha Britdoc, and the National Endowment of the Arts. She is a member of the DGA as well as AMPAS. She holds a B.A. in comparative literature from Princeton University and splits her time between New York City and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with her husband Jimmy Chin, their daughter, Marina, and son, James.

  • Jimmy Chin

    DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER

    Jimmy Chin is an Academy® Award-winning filmmaker, National Geographic photographer and professional climber and skier. He has led and documented cutting edge expeditions around the world for over 20 years. He has climbed and skied Mount Everest from the summit and made the coveted first ascent of the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru. His photographs have graced the covers of National Geographic Magazine and the New York Times Magazine. Jimmy co-produces and co-directs with his wife Chai Vasarhelyi. Their film Meru won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015 and was on the 2016 Oscar shortlist for Best Documentary Feature. Their latest documentary "Free Solo" won a BAFTA® and the Academy® Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019, as well as seven Emmy® awards. Jimmy splits his time between New York City and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with Chai, their daughter, Marina, and son, James.

  • John Battsek

    PRODUCER

    John Battsek is one of the most successful producers in feature documentary filmmaking. Starting with Academy Award winning One Day In September which Battsek conceived and produced, he has since been responsible for some of the most acclaimed documentaries in recent years.

    Battsek’s most notable credits include Academy Award® and BAFTA-winning Searching For Sugar Man, Academy Award®-nominated Restrepo and Winter On Fire, and Emmy®-winning Manhunt: The Story Of The Hunt For Bin Laden, The Tillman Story and Forever Pure.

    Battsek served as producer on the BAFTA nominated and Peabody winning Listen To Me Marlon and Grammy-nominee Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars. He also served as Executive Producer on the BAFTA Award winning documentaries The Imposter and Hillsborough.

    Battsek's most recent credits include the double Emmy® award winning Rising Phoenix, and critically acclaimed biopics Belushi, Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In, and Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story.

    In 2020, Battsek launched his new production company Ventureland with long-time collaborators Kerstin Emhoff and Ali Brown. Battsek is currently in production on a range of titles including a film about the iconic Abbey Road Studios, directed by Mary McCartney and a biopic on the former world number 1 tennis player Boris Becker, directed by Alex Gibney. 

  • PJ van Sandwijk

    PRODUCER

    PJ van Sandwijk is the co-founder of STORYTELLER PRODUCTIONS alongside screenwriter Michael Lesslie. The company originates and focuses on a diverse range of premium film and television projects with global appeal.

    van Sandwijk’s STORYTELLER PRODUCTIONS has most recently produced Doug Liman and Steven Knight’s Locked Down, starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the first major movie shot during COVID; Errol Morris’ American Dharma; and Alex Gibney’s Citizen K. The latter two films both premiered at the Venice Film Festival and were nominated for several major awards.

    Notable projects originated by STORYTELLER in active development / production include:

    SPACE with Tom Cruise, Doug Liman and Christopher McQuarrie – the first narrative movie ever shot in space; THIRTEEN LIVES with Ron Howard; ROADS TO FREEDOM with Ridley Scott, Steven Knight and Sir Antony Beevor; HEIST with Guy Ritchie – a major action franchise; FERRARI with Michael Mann, Untitled Project with Kathryn Bigelow; MAFIA with Ronan Bennett; RIME with Rebecca Ferguson; THE PIGEON TUNNEL with Errol Morris. 

  • Bob Eisenhardt

    PRODUCER AND EDITOR

    ​​Bob Eisenhardt, A.C.E. is an Oscar nominee, two-time American Cinema Editors Eddie award winner, and three-time Emmy winner with over sixty films to his credit.

    Bob edited FREE SOLO, the 2019 Oscar and BAFTA award winner, for which he received the ACE Eddie for Best Editing - Documentary. Other recent films include: SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD, HBO’s EVERYTHING IS COPY: NORA EPHRON, SCRIPTED AND UNSCRIPTED, shown at the 2015 New York Film Festival and Primetime Emmy nominee, and RESTLESS CREATURE: WENDY WHELAN, shown at the 2016 New York Film Festival.

    MERU won the Audience Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, the Cinema Eye Audience Award and was the opening night selection at the Full Frame Film Festival.

    Other recent films include WAGNER'S DREAM, which received an Emmy nomination for editing, VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR, DIXIE CHICKS: SHUT UP & SING, and LIVING EMERGENCY: STORIES OF DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS.

About the Participants

  • "Amp" Bangngoen

    NURSE

    Siriporn Bangngoen (Amp) set off to explore the world after completing her education, living in Thailand, Bahrain, New Zealand and Australia. Eventually returning to Thailand, Amp became the Head of Care at a large care facility in Chiang Mai. While on holiday in the United Kingdom, she met cave diver Rick Stanton. Upon returning to her home in Chiang Rai, Amp was horrified to hear that a group of boys were trapped in a cave close to her village. Amp volunteered to assist with the rescue and worked alongside Rick Stanton as a translator. 

  • Thanet Natisri

    GROUNDWATER EXPERT/WATER MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

    Thanet Natisri is a founding member and CEO of American Groundwater Solutions,LLC as well the founder and CEO of WATERFORCE CO.,LTD. and Co-owner of Thai D Classic Thai Cuisine in Marion, IL. Thanet has been highly involved in charitable acts of service regarding water management and environmental care globally for several years.

    Beginning in 2014 and continuing presently, Thanet and his team kickstarted the National Groundwater Bank Project in Thailand, which has helped to lift thousands of people from poverty. Thanet has also aided in the ongoing effort to solve the issue of PM 2.5 air pollution, assisting with a series of Air Scrubber Towers installed around Thailand. In 2019 Thanet was in the frontlines of responders to the floods of Alexander County, IL and expanded the Groundwater Bank Project to Myanmar, India, and Uganda.

    When COVID-19 complications began in 2020, Thanet designed and built mobile negative pressure units for patients in Thailand, he also worked with the Thai Ministry of Education developing water management courses for community colleges.

    His charity work has been recognized by the US House of Representatives, the Illinois House of Representatives, and has received numerous awards including the 2018 Southern Illinois United Nations Association Human Rights Defender award, the 2019 Award of Excellence from the City of Marion Chamber of Commerce, Southern Illinoisan 2019 Leaders Among Us Award and 2020 Above Self Service award from the rotary club of Thai Town, Los Angeles. 

  • Rick Stanton

    RETIRED FIREFIGHTER AND CAVE DIVER

    Rick Stanton MBE GM served as a firefighter with the West Midlands Fire Service, but it was his ‘hobby’ of cave-diving that consumed his time. He has quietly spent forty years exploring caves around the world, steadily building his unique skill set as he defied limits, pushed boundaries, and discovered parts of the earth that had never been seen before. Along the way, he and his dive partners became the ones to call for the most challenging cave rescue and recovery missions. In 2018, he found himself on the world’s stage when he and John discovered the Wild Boars alive, trapped inside Thailand’s flooded Tham Luang cave. Rick needed to rely on all the experiences and friendships he’d gathered along the way as he carefully planned and then successfully executed one of the most noteworthy rescue missions on record. 

  • John Volanthen

    IT CONSULTANT AND CAVE DIVER

    John Volanthen is a world record-holding British caver and cave diver who has been involved in cave exploration over the last two decades. John began caving with the scouts at the age of 14 and has been at the forefront of cave exploration since combining disciplines of both caving and diving. Where suitable equipment was not available, John has innovated, designed and built breathing and mapping systems to safely explore new ground.

    John has been involved in a number of cave rescue incidents throughout the world including the Tham Luang Thailand cave rescue for which he was named one of TIME magazine’s “Heroes of the Year.” He lives in Bristol (UK) and runs ultra marathons in his 'spare' time.

  • Jason Mallinson QGM

    ROPE ACCESS SUPERVISOR AND CAVE DIVER

    Jason Mallinson is an exploration cave diver with more than 30 years’ experience in underwater caves throughout the world. He learned his trade-craft in the cold murky sumps of North Yorkshire, England in the early 1990s, where side-mount solo cave diving was the norm. From these solid foundations he quickly progressed to more technical cave diving, often requiring dive times of 20 hours or more. This culminated in his leadership of the international dive team to achieve World Record Dive penetration distances in 2010, 2011 and 2013 in Spain.

    Search and Rescue, along with Body Recovery dives are an inevitable extension to cave diving at this experience level. Jason has taken part in numerous body recoveries across Europe, and was also one of the two divers who successfully recovered six people trapped in a flooded cave in Mexico in 2004. This could be described as a practice run for Thailand 14 years later.

    Having been unable to depart with the advance search party to Thailand in 2018, Jason arrived on site once the boys had been found. His experience and sound judgement were required if the boys were ever going to get out of the cave alive.

  • Dr. Richard "Harry" Harris

    CAVE DIVER

    Dr. Richard “Harry” Harris SC OAM (Cave Diver) has worked in anaesthesia, diving and aeromedical retrieval medicine in Adelaide, South Australia.

    His passion for cave diving goes back to the 1980’s and has taken him to the corners of the globe in search of new adventures.

    Harry and his colleagues have explored caves to 245m depth, and shipwrecks to over 150m, in dives lasting over 16 hours. He is an enthusiastic UW photographer and videographer who is now also building a career in documentary films.

    Harry has a professional and voluntary interest in search and rescue operations, establishing the first sump rescue training course in Australasia. By building relationships with emergency services locally he has been preparing for such an event. The 2018 Thailand cave rescue was an opportunity to put this training to work.

    In 2018 he received the Star of Courage, Australia’s second highest civilian award for bravery, and the Medal of the Order of Australia for his role in the Thailand cave rescue.

    Harry is the 2019 Australian of the Year for South Australia and the joint 2019 Australian of the Year with his dive partner Craig Challen.

  • Captain Mitch Torrel

    U.S. AIR FORCE SPECIAL TACTICS OFFICER

    Captain Mitch Torrel ​​is a U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Officer assigned to the 24th Special Operations Wing under Air Force Special Operations Command. In this role Captain Torrel is tasked with leading the Air Force’s special operations ground force in executing global access, precision strike, and personnel recovery operations. Captain Torrel is an expert in small arms employment, demolitions, military free-fall, and combat diving. He has supported both combat and humanitarian operations across the Pacific, Middle-East, and Africa.

    During his time in the Pacific Theater, Captain Torrel was the deployed mission commander for operations in Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and various other locations. Captain Torrel was called upon to lead a Humanitarian Aid response team in Tham Luang, Thailand. As the operations officer responsible for senior level coordination between military, civilian, and diplomatic entities; Captain Torrel helped develop, coordinate, and implement a rescue plan across cultural and linguistic divides. The Tham Luang Cave Rescue was a resounding success, saving the lives of all 13 trapped individuals. In 2019 he was named the Special Tactics of the Year for Air Force Special Operations Command.

    Prior to entering into special operations, Captain Torrel was recruited to play Division-1 Hockey at the United States Air Force Academy. His team won two conference titles in four years. Commissioning in May of 2014 as a pilot trainee, he was placed on casual status at the Academy as a strength and conditioning coach. Following Initial Flight Training he assessed to become a Special Tactics Officer and was selected to cross train.

REVIEWS

“A riveting, stomach-in-your-throat documentary”

INDIEWIRE


“Extraordinary… A rousing film that celebrates humanity at its most selfless”

VARIETY


“Has to be seen to be believed”

INSIDER


“This Year's Most Thrilling- and human - documentary”

ESQUIRE


“Incredibly Moving and Thrilling to Watch”

ROGEREBERT.COM


“A Masterfully Layered Thrilling Account of a Hair-Raising Rescue”

SLANT

PHOTO GALLERY

  • A diver swims through an underwater cave. (Credit: National Geographic)


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    A diver swims through an underwater cave. (Credit: National Geographic)


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  • A diver floats through an underwater cave. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    A diver floats through an underwater cave. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • Jason Mallinson. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    Jason Mallinson. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • A diver swims through a dark cave guided by a headlamp. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    A diver swims through a dark cave guided by a headlamp. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • Diver in cave with headlamp. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    Diver in cave with headlamp. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • Cave diver emerges from water. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    Cave diver emerges from water. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • Cave diver, Rick Stanton, preps for dive. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    Cave diver, Rick Stanton, preps for dive. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • Cave diver emerges from water. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    Cave diver emerges from water. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • Cave divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen inside cave. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    Cave divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen inside cave. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • Cave divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen in diving gear. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    Cave divers Rick Stanton and John Volanthen in diving gear. (Credit: National Geographic)

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  • Jason Mallinson rappels down industrial site. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    Jason Mallinson rappels down industrial site. (Credit: National Geographic)

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    • CREDITS

    Directed by E. Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin

    Produced by P.J. van Sandwijk, John Battsek, E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin

    Cinematography by David Katznelson, Picha Srisansanee, Ian Seabrook

    Edited by Bob Eisenhardt

    Music by Daniel Pemberton

    Executive Producers Thanet Natisri, Santipong Changpuak