Hanging by a Wire
In remote northern Pakistan, schoolchildren cross a canyon by cable car each day—until one morning, two of the three cables snap, turning their routine journey into a desperate fight for survival as they are suspended 900 feet in the air.
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Thursday, May 14, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Friday, May 15, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
In a remote region of Battagram in northern Pakistan, a group of schoolchildren makes a daily journey few could imagine—crossing a vast canyon by cable car just to reach their classroom. But one morning, that routine trip turns into a fight for survival when two of the car's three supporting cables suddenly snap.
Suspended nearly 900 feet above a canyon, six teenage schoolboys and two adults are left dangling in midair, clinging to hope as time slips away and it starts to get dark. What follows is a gripping, real-life drama that captures the attention of a nation—and the world. As the crisis unfolds, local villagers, authorities, and rescue teams race against impossible odds while families watch and wait in anguish. Questions emerge and tensions arise about who can reach them in time.
Through a powerful blend of firsthand interviews with survivors and their families, raw cell phone and drone footage, and carefully staged recreations, the film immerses viewers in every harrowing moment of the ordeal.
With this unforgettable documentary thriller, director Mohammed Ali Naqvi not only captures the terror of a single moment in this pulse-pounding account but also sheds light on issues of class, education, and who the community's heroes are in a crisis.
—Kathleen Mullen
- Director: Mohammed Ali Naqvi
- Country: Pakistan, United Kingdom, USA
- Year: 2026
- Running Time: 77 min.
- Producer: Mohammed Ali Naqvi, Bilal Sami
- Screenplay: Mohammed Ali Naqvi, Bilal Sami
- Cinematographers: Brendan McGinty
- Editors: Will Grayburn
- Music: Sven Faulconer
- Filmography: The Accused: Damned or Devoted? (2020), Insha'Allah Democracy (2017), Among the Believers (co-director, 2015), Pakistan’s Hidden Shame (2014), Shame (2006), Terror’s Children (2003)
- Language: English, Urdu, Pashto
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- International Sales: CAA Film Sales