‘Hanging By A Wire’ review: Gripping docudrama follows real-life Himalayan cable car ordeal

Dir: Mohammed Ali Naqvi. US/UK/Pakistan. 2026. 78mins

Mohammed Ali Naqvi’s gripping docudrama effectively captures the race-against-the-clock jeopardy of the 2023 efforts to rescue eight passengers trapped in a cable car high in the Himalayas. Knowledge of the the outcome does not diminish the film’s impact, and Hanging By A Wire’s blend of real-life peril and feel-good positivity should have a ready-made appeal for audiences who thrilled to similar fare like The Rescue (2021) or Free Solo (2018). Documentary channels should take notice following a world premiere in Sundance’s world cinema documentary competition.

Builds a sense of urgency 

An Emmy-nominated producer/director, Naqvi has consistently sought to illuminate aspects of life in Pakistan with notable documentaries including Shame (2006), Among The Believers (2015) and The Accused: Damned Or Devoted (2020). Hanging By a Wire may have all the urgency of a Hollywood disaster movie from the 1970s, but also incorporates an undercurrent of commentary on the neglect of poor rural communities in Pakistan.

The foothills of the Himalayas readily live up to the description of ‘heaven on earth’ in Naqvi’s establishing scenes. The lofty mountain peaks, lush vegetation and blue skies look inviting – but the reality is very different for remote communities with little infrastructure and no proper roads. Travel is routinely by rusty, cramped cable cars that have been in service for decades. On August 22nd, 2023, a group of eight travellers were halfway through their daily commute when a cable snapped and they were left suspended 900 feet in the air, held by one remaining cable that was projected to hold their weight for 10 hours at most. 

The plight of the stricken passengers – who were aged between 13 and 21, and included six schoolboys – made headlines around the world. Pakistani journalist Sumaira Khan recalls being urged to get their story to the wider world, and the eyes of the international media are credited with ensuring that a rescue mission became a priority. 

Naqvi had access to a feast of archive material that includes footage from a local drone operator, cellphone photos from the dozens of local people who watched as helpless bystanders and even images taken within the cable car. He has also cast his net widely for interview subjects that range from family members to district police chief Sonia Shamroz and the rescued boys, and some of those involved also take part in re-enactments of key events. 

The focus of Hanging By A Wire is very much on the efforts to free the young men as time ticks away; on-screen captions regularly inform us of how many hours have passed since the the cable broke. Helicopter rescue is hampered by high winds and stray wires. Darkness starts to descend and there are moments when all hope seems lost. Briskly edited by Will Grayburn, the film builds a sense of urgency as rescue efforts grow increasingly desperate. Sven Faulconer’s overly dramatic score slightly overeggs things, but Naqvi never loses sight of the boys and their ordeal.

Naqvi eventually foregrounds the heroes of the hour. Local cable car operator and repair man Sahib Khan exudes quiet resolve as he mounts a one-man rescue mission, against the advice of the authorities. Known as a sky pirate, he is a modest, unassuming man who performs amazing feats and deserves a documentary of his own. The film also celebrates the more flamboyant daredevil Ali Swati, a gym owner and zip wire expert who stepped in to save the day. The remarkable rescue scenes are all achieved against the odds, and their depiction fills the film with heart-in-the-mouth moments.