Emmy-nominated director Mohammad Ali Naqvi will preview exclusive footage of the 2023 Battagram cable car incident for his upcoming documentary, Hanging By A Wire, at Cannes Docs Week during the 2025 Marché du Film.
The film revisits the dramatic August 2023 rescue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where six schoolboys and two adults were left stranded 900 feet above a ravine after their cable car’s supporting wires snapped.
Naqvi, who announced the Cannes preview on Instagram, described the project as “deeply personal.” He credited his producing partner Bilal Sami and collaborators at EverWonder Studio and Mindhouse Productions, including Aloke Devichand, Arron Fellows, Louis Theroux, and Jon Adler.
Hanging By A Wire promises never-before-seen footage and first-hand accounts from survivors and rescuers of the Battagram cable car incident, capturing the tense 15-hour operation that involved helicopters, ziplines, local villagers, and military commandos. Naqvi said the film aims to deliver the intensity of a ‘90s action thriller, but with real-life stakes and authenticity.
The documentary also highlights the broader issue of school accessibility in Pakistan’s remote regions, where students face daily challenges due to limited infrastructure and harsh conditions. Naqvi’s previous works include Turning Point (Netflix), Shame (Showtime), and the Emmy-nominated The Accused: Damned or Devoted?. Co-producer Bilal Sami is known for David Blaine — Do Not Attempt (Disney+/Hulu) and the acclaimed Pakistani film Laal Kabootar.
