Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Skywalkers: A Love Story Takes Love to Unimaginable Heights

13/07/2024

Jeff Zimbalist, Ivan Beerkus, Angela Nikolau, and Maria Bukhonina at the premiere of Skywalkers: A Love Story at The Ray Theatre in Park City, Utah, on January 18, 2024. (Photo by Donyale West/ Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)

By Stephanie Ornelas

Our full potential is on the other side of fear. - Angela Nikolau, skywalker

Fire of Love, The Deepest Breath - you can now add Skywalkers: A Love Story to the list of thrilling docs that have premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, giving us a glimpse into another boundary-pushing duo: rooftoppers Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus from Moscow.

Audience members were gasping on the edge of their seats as Nikolau and Beerkus took them on a fairytale journey of their rise to the top. Centering on this remarkable partnership where trust is key - a matter of life or death, even - director Jeff Zimbalist puts an up-close lens on Nikolau and Beerkus as they build their professional careers traveling across the globe to climb some of the world's highest skyscrapers and sharing intimate photos with their millions of followers on social media.

It took seven years of production, over 300 hours of archival cinema verite footage, so many unexpected twists and turns, and a shocking climax that I still can't believe, Zimbalist says during the post-premiere Q&A on January 19 at The Ray in Park City, Utah.

The documentary is a beautiful yet complicated love story, and shows the highs and lows of a relationship between two daredevils. Through breathtaking drone shots and intimate GoPro footage from the climbers themselves, audiences start to witness Beerkus' concern for his own safety shift to that of Nikolau, but her desire to make the ultimate climb only continues to grow. Constant gasps fill the air as Festgoers witness the couple climb insane heights, escaping law enforcement and death as they dangle off some of the world's tallest skyscrapers. By the end, audiences delivered a standing ovation.

I didn't know my heart could race faster than being on the roofs with these guys but that standing ovation, you got me, Zimbalist tells the audience.

Everybody that got on board this project took a major gamble. There was nothing rational about it. It was a harebrained passion project that had so many unknowns, so many variables. I'm so grateful to all of you for choosing to believe in the film and choosing to believe in me.

When COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine led to a Russian shutdown of social media, ultimately causing them to lose their sponsors, which was a huge source of income, audiences start to see a dramatic shift in the couple's relationship. But when Beerkus gets the idea of how to revive it all by scaling the Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - and performing a bold acrobatic stunt at the very top of the spire - before a security-camera system is put in place, their journey to the top begins, thus continuing the hair-raising vertigo-inducing adventure. But there was one condition Beerkus had: This would be their last climb.

Zimbalist shared with audiences how the team worked tirelessly to bring Nikolau and Beerkus to the Festival, but it just wasn't possible due to logistical constraints. However, he did bring up the couple on livestream. Audience members were thrilled to see them on screen before being given one last surprise.

Why are you walking? Where are you guys? Zimbalist asks them. As they turned their camera around, audiences were shocked to see the front of The Ray Theatre in Park City. Moments later, Nikolau and Beerkus walked in through the front of the theater and were greeted with another standing ovation.

But an audience member had one burning question: Was this really their last climb?

We've talked about potentially quitting or retiring, mostly because there's no higher roofs left to climb, says Beerkus. We're trying to venture into other things. But as of now, it's our passion; that's how we make our living, and right now, maybe not yet.

By the end of the film, it was as clear as the air 118 stories up: The higher they ventured together, the deeper they fell in love. The sky was the limit.
LINK: https://www.sundance.org/blogs/skywalkers-a-love-story-takes-love-to-u...
See more stories from sundance

More from Sundance Institute

10/01/2025

Hummingbird Acrobats Charm EVERY LITTLE THING Audience

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: Filmmaker Sally Aitken smiles at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival EVERY LITTLE THING premiere at The Ray Theatre. (Photo by Haley...

03/01/2025

Release Rundown: What to Watch in January, From Love Me to Presence

Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun embody the love story of a buoy and a satellite in Sam and Andy Zuchero's Love Me....

31/12/2024

Inside the Archives: Spotlighting Sundance-Supported Alums in the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Program

Rashad Frett shares a moment with Michelle Satter at the 2023 Directors Lab. Pho...

30/12/2024

Release Rundown: The 100 Sundance-Supported Projects Released in 2024

[Pictured: a still from Love Lies Bleeding, one of the 100 Sundance-supported titles that opened to wider audiences in 2024]...

20/12/2024

2025 Sundance Film Festival Reveals 92 Projects for Feature Film and Episodic Programs

Top L-R: The Legend of Ochi, Rabbit Trap, East of Wall, Seeds Center Row L-R: Re...

16/12/2024

2025 Sundance Film Festival Unveils Short Film Program Presented by Vimeo

Top L-R: View From the Floor, THE LILY ( ), Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites, Hold Me CloseCenter Row L-R: Azi, Debaters, Platanero, SweetheartBottom L...

11/12/2024

2025 Sundance Film Festival Reveals 93 Projects for Feature Film and Episodic Programs

Top L-R: The Legend of Ochi, Rabbit Trap, East of Wall, Seeds Center Row L-R: Re...

10/12/2024

A Different Man, Hit Man, and A Real Pain Gain Golden Globe Nominations

At the top of each year, we introduce the film and TV landscape to groundbreaking projects when they premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Many earn recogniti...

10/12/2024

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project Imagines New Heights in Equality

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 20: (Top Row L-R) Patrice Bowman, Jarobi Moorhead, Greg Harriott, Ayana Enomoto-Hurst, Director Joe Brewster, Chris Pattishal and Terr...

05/12/2024

The Storytelling We Need

Dear Sundance Community, Each year, the Sundance Film Festival team watches and discusses thousands of submissions from around the world to shape the annual p...

05/12/2024

20 Sundance-Supported Films and Series Land Nominations for the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards

Since 1993, the Film Independent Spirit Awards have been held at Santa Monica St...

05/12/2024

Release Rundown: Gaucho Gaucho Among Sundance-Supported Films Reaching Wider Audiences This December

Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw's Gaucho Gaucho won the U.S. Documentary...

04/12/2024

Making Time Travel Possible Through Film Preservation: A Conversation With UCLA Archives

By Bailey Pennick Every time you watch a film, you're taking a leap. A leap...

02/12/2024

Sujo Paints a Lyrical Portrait of a Cartel Gunman's Son

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 19: (L-R) Fernanda Valadez, Juan Jes s Varela, and Astrid Rondero attend the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Sujo premiere at The Ray Th...

02/12/2024

Gaucho Gaucho Celebrates a Traditional Cowboy Community With Authenticity

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 19: Tati Gonza and Guada Gonza attend the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Gaucho Gaucho premiere at The Ray Theatre. (Photo by Donyale W...

28/11/2024

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know 3 Indigenous Filmmakers With Shorts at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival

A still from Vea Mafile'o's Lea Tupu'anga / Mother Tongue, which s...

27/11/2024

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez, the Co-Directors of Sujo

By Jessica Herndon One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Fest...

27/11/2024

Dinner and a Movie: Katie Arthurs on Top End Wedding and Breakfast Burritos

The author watching a film with her mother and brother....

27/11/2024

Inside the Archives: Showcasing Sundance Talent in Oz and the Colosseum

Denzel Washington at the Piper-Heidsieck Tribute press conference at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Sandria Miller...

23/11/2024

Heartwarming Out of My Mind Highlights the Importance of Disability Advocacy

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 19: (L-R) Judith Light, Rosemarie Dewitt, Luke Kirby, Michael Chernus, Phoebe-Rae Taylor, Sharon M. Draper, Amber Sealey, and Courtney...

22/11/2024

Michelle Satter to Be Honored at 2025 Sundance Film Festival Gala Celebrating Sundance Institute Presented by Google TV

Sean Wang, Julian Brave NoiseCat, and Emily Kassie to Receive Annual Vanguard Aw...

20/11/2024

10 Films With Sundance Institute Ties Nominated for the 40th International Documentary Awards

From Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie's moving Sugarcane to Shiori It ...

20/11/2024

Dinner and a Movie: Ianeta Le'i on Stones and Kalua Pig

Stones courtesy of Ty Sanga. By Ianeta Le'i Food and film are two universal languages that connect us. They can draw upon long forgotten memories, take u...

18/11/2024

Porcelain War Stands at the Intersection of War, Beauty, and Resistance

(Photo by Suzanne Cordeiro/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival) By Patty Consolazio If you find it difficult on any level to justify Russia's war on U...

12/11/2024

Dinner and a Movie: Adam Piron on Fox Maxy's Gush and Frybread

by Adam Piron Food and film are two universal languages that connect us. They can draw upon long forgotten memories, take us to a place we've never been, a...

12/11/2024

Never Look Away Delivers Us to War's Front Lines With Fearless Photojournalist Margaret Moth

(Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival) By Patty Consolazio I...

11/11/2024

Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin Balance Trauma and Humor in A Real Pain

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 20: (L-R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg attend the 2024 Sundance Film Festival A Real Pain premiere at Eccles Theatre. (Photo by...

06/11/2024

Luther: Never Too Much Examines the Joys and Struggles of a Beloved Musical Icon

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: Director Dawn Porter at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Luther: Never Too Much premiere at Eccles Theatre on January 21, 2024, i...

06/11/2024

Agent of Happiness Spotlights a National Campaign and Sparks Self-Reflection

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 19: (L-R) Suraj Bhattarai, Arun Bhattarai, Dorottya Zurb and M t Artur Vincze attend the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Agent of Happi...

04/11/2024

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Jesse Eisenberg, the Writer-Director of A Real Pain

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...

02/11/2024

Release Rundown: What to Watch in November, From A Real Pain to Porcelain War

Writer-director Jesse Eisenberg (R) stars alongside Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain, winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic at the 2024 Sund...

30/10/2024

A Different Man, No Other Land, and More Sundance-Supported Films Secure Nominations for the 2024 Gotham Awards

The nominees for the 2024 Gotham Awards have been unveiled by the Gotham Film & ...

30/10/2024

2024 Sundance Institute | Sandbox Fund Projects Selected

15 Projects From 35 Filmmakers Will Benefit From Increased Granting in 2024...

30/10/2024

Hope for the Independent Documentary Ecosystem: How Artist Accelerator Envisions an Equitable Future

The Artist Accelerator team on day 3 of the Shangri La / Sundance / Building Bri...

29/10/2024

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat: Political Machinations in the Congo

Writer-director Johan Grimonprez talks about his film Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat following its premiere January 22 at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. (P...

28/10/2024

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Ian Bonhte and Peter Ettedgui, the Filmmakers Behind Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

By Bailey Pennick One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festi...

25/10/2024

What to Watch: These 7 DFP-Supported Films From 2024 Will Inspire You to Organize for Change

It's easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about the current state of the...

25/10/2024

Fall in Love With Your Monster

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 18: (L-R) Tommy Dewey, Melissa Barrera, Kayla Foster, Meghann Fahy, and Edmund Donovan attend the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Your Mo...

23/10/2024

Give Me the Backstory: Get to Know Greg Jardin, the Writer-Director of It's What's Inside

By Lucy Spicer One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival...

22/10/2024

Benjamin Ree's Ibelin Takes Viewers to a Different World and Moves Them to Tears

From L-R: Robert Steen, Trude Steen, Mia Steen and Benjamin Ree (Marc Sagliocco/...

21/10/2024

A Journalist Turns the Camera on Herself in Black Box Diaries

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 20: Hanna Avqilin, Shiori Ito, and Ema Ryan Yamazaki attend the 2024 Sundance Film Festival Black Box Diaries premiere at Prospector...

18/10/2024

Union: Story of Amazon Labor Union Gives Hope to Ordinary Workers

Jordan Flowers, Derrick Palmer, Chris Smalls, and Gerald Bryson - all present or former employees of Amazon - express their solidarity at the premiere of Union...

18/10/2024

7 Uplifting Sundance-Supported Documentaries the DFP Team Recommends This Fall

By Jessica Herndon Life can be chaotic and rough, so when it's time to watch a film, we understand the urge to cue up a feel-good flick. Luckily, our Docum...

17/10/2024

Exhibiting Forgiveness: An Exercise in Healing, On and Off the Set

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 20: (L-R) Jaime Ray Newman, Andr Holland, Andra Day, Titus Kaphar, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and John Earl Jelks attend the 2024 Sundance...

14/10/2024

Indigenous People Will Save the World: A Spotlight on Sundance Institute's Merata Mita Fellowship

Libby Hakaraia speaking at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Jovelle Tam...

12/10/2024

Saw, An Education, and More Celebrate Anniversaries in October

Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is torn between the life she'd planned and an intriguing older man in An Education. (Photo by Kerry Brown/Sony Pictures Classics)...

12/10/2024

Welcoming Our Trans Artists and Community to the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

Updated as of October 10 As we prepare for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, our fundamental intention remains for all who attend the Sundance Film Festival to ...

10/10/2024

The Far-Reaching Effects of Colonization in Twice Colonized

PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 23: (L-R) Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, Mark Bukdahl, Lin Alluna, Iris Ng, Emile Hertling P ronard, Aaju Peter, Bob Moore, Stacey Aglok MacDo...

10/10/2024

2024 Sundance Institute Latine Fellowship & Collab Scholarship Artists Selected

Year-round Program Offers Pivotal Artist Support to Early Career Latine Artists PARK CITY, UTAH, October 10, 2024 - The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced...