"The Search for Ernest Shackleton's Iconic Ship: A Resilience Documentary Filmmaker Shares His Experience in a New Disney Plus Production."
One of the great survival stories.
During the lockdown imposed by the pandemic, an astonishing revelation captured global attention: the discovery of Sir Ernest Shackleton's three-masted sailing ship, the 'Endurance', which sank in 1915 in the ice of Antarctica. This wreck, known as 'the Titanic of polar exploration vessels', sparked the interest of many, including the adventure filmmaking duo Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the creators of some of Disney Plus's most acclaimed productions like Free Solo and Meru. They decided to document this epic expedition.
Alongside Natalie Hewit, who participated in the Endurance 22 expedition in March 2022 to locate the remains of the HMS Endurance, Vasarhelyi and Chin have created a new documentary titled Endurance, in collaboration with National Geographic. This production blends restored footage with current images recorded during the 2022 expedition, as well as interviews with the expedition leader, Dr. John Sears, and recreations of Shackleton and his crew, thus merging historical elements with contemporary moments.
Vasarhelyi and Chin's fascination with the human condition and the survival instinct is a constant theme in their work. As Vasarhelyi shared, "having the audacity to dream" connects all their stories. This new work fits into their filmography, providing another narrative approach. Shackleton, an Irish adventurer, undertook three expeditions during the well-known 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration', with the last being the voyage of the Endurance, which aimed to achieve the first overland crossing of Antarctica.
The journey brought together a diverse group of 27 men, 69 sled dogs, and a cat. However, the ship became trapped in the ice and eventually sank, leaving the crew stranded. Shackleton and his team managed to reach Elephant Island, but they couldn't survive there for long. In a heroic act, Shackleton and five men navigated in a lifeboat for 800 miles under adverse conditions to seek help on South Georgia Island, ultimately rescuing all their companions.
This fascinating tale has been previously treated in films and documentaries, but Endurance stands out for telling the complete story, from the original expedition to its rediscovery. Vasarhelyi and Chin have felt a profound connection to Shackleton's story, considering his survival account to be one of the great tales of all time.
Using modern technology, the documentary includes footage from Frank Hurley, a crew member who documented the journey with one of the first motion picture cameras. This footage has been meticulously restored to bring the events to life. Instead of opting for voice actors to narrate the crew's diaries, the filmmakers collaborated with Respeecher, a voice synthesis company, to recreate the original sounds using artificial intelligence, resulting in a powerful and moving experience.
Vasarhelyi, excited about what this story represents, commented on how this feat highlights the wonderful aspects of being human. The documentary will be available for streaming on Disney Plus starting November 2nd.
