Documentaries with a razor-focused subject are often the most engaging, and “Hanging by a Wire” isn’t just thorough, but it’s straight-up nerve-racking. Director Mohammed Ali Naqvi takes one terrifying day in August 2023 and turns it into a documentary that plays like a real-life thriller.
When a cable snaps on a makeshift cable car in the mountains of northern Pakistan, eight people (six of them schoolboys) are left hanging nearly 900 feet above a ravine, suspended by a single wire that might not last more than a few hours.
Because there’s almost no infrastructure in this remote village, cable cars like this are just how people get around during their daily lives and routines. They’re not maintained by the government, which means they’re a risky form of transport (and everyone knows it). Naqvi never lets you forget that, but he also keeps the story moving fast.
The film pulls from drone footage shot by locals, cell phone videos from inside the dangling car, news broadcasts, and reenactments featuring the actual people involved. It’s a clever and fascinating way to recreate the day’s events, which makes the film immediate, immersive, and more than a little stressful to watch.
What really makes the film work are the one-on-one interviews of the people who remember that day all too well. The terrified fathers on the ground. The journalist chasing the story as it explodes worldwide. The police chief, helicopter pilot, cable car operator, and two internet-famous zipliners who step in when official rescue attempts stall. Personalities shine through, tempers flare, and disagreements over how to save the passengers make everything feel even more tense.
By the end, “Hanging by a Wire isn’t just a rescue story,” but one about class, neglect, and whose expertise gets ignored when it matters most (and when lives are literally on the line). It’s an edge-of-your-seat documentary too, so don’t forget to breathe while watching it.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 