Off the Edge

Off the Edge was Michael Firth's ode to the exhilaration of adventuring on the spine of the Southern Alps. The film follows an American and a Canadian as they ski, hang glide, climb and explore glaciers in the Aoraki-Mt Cook area. The spectacular footage was shot over two seasons, where extreme weather and geography meant few chances for second takes. Released shortly before Sleeping Dogs, another breakthrough Kiwi release, Off the Edge was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary. The LA Times called it "beautiful and awesome". John Hanlon's song 'Higher Trails' features in the hang glider finale.