ISLAMABAD: A documentary film based on the dramatic 2023 Battagram chairlift rescue operation will be released in cinemas across Pakistan later this year, its creators said.
Titled Hanging by a Wire, the documentary highlights the underdevelopment and poor infrastructure of the Allai Valley while showcasing the courage and determination of local residents who helped rescue eight people trapped in a chairlift.
Producer, director and writer Mohammad Ali Naqvi, also known as Mo Naqvi, told that he wanted to take the story of the local rescuers and their bravery to an international audience.
“This was the first time the Pakistan Army, local residents and the administration worked together to save eight people trapped in a chairlift,” Naqvi said. He praised the local residents for successfully carrying out the rescue operation despite the area’s limited infrastructure.
Naqvi said the documentary was presented internationally to show the world the courage and resilience of Pakistanis. He added that the filmmakers also hope to improve the chairlift system used by children who travel to school in the region.
“We want to work with NGOs on projects that can help improve the infrastructure for these children,” he said.
Naqvi said the documentary contains original footage recorded during the incident. Some drone footage was captured by a local jewelry shop owner, Faisal, while residents also provided videos they had recorded, hoping to share their experiences, helplessness and efforts with the wider world.
Producer and writer Bilal Sami said stories about local Pakistani heroes often fail to receive international attention.
He said the filmmakers wanted to bring the story to audiences around the world and highlight a positive image of Pakistan through the people who helped save lives.
Hanging by a Wire is currently being screened in cinemas in Britain and the United States. The documentary also earned a place at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received a positive response from audiences. It is scheduled for a nationwide theatrical release in Pakistan this year.
The incident took place on Aug. 23, 2023, in Battagram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Two cables of a chairlift carrying eight people snapped, leaving the lift hanging about 900 feet above the ground by a single remaining cable.
Pakistan Army personnel rescued one person by helicopter, while zipline experts Ali Swati and Sahib Khan were brought in to help save the remaining seven people. After about 12 hours, all eight people were safely rescued.
Local residents have said that despite the high-profile rescue operation, little has changed in the area’s infrastructure, with chairlift systems in parts of Battagram still considered inadequate.
