52 minutes to become the most interesting person at your next boring dinner party.
Exploring the Panama Canal is a fascinating journey through the land of mystery and adventure and the Canal that divides it. Through rare archival footage, you'll experience the history of the Canal, from its failed beginnings to the Herculean effort of 35,000 men to build this most strategic of ocean routes. You'll witness the Canal in operation from a front-row seat in the Command Center, towers and computer stations that control the locks. Spectacular location shooting takes you ashore into the exotic Republica de Panama where you'll delight in the native culture, history and bustling lifestyles of Panama City and Colon. Exploring the Panama Canal - an unforgettable voyage you'll enjoy for years to come!
Production
Rare archival footage that actually feels rare, not 'we found this in a closet.'
Editing
Command Center sequences hit different — surprisingly tense for a documentary about water levels.
Director
James Benning
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director James Benning is actually an avant-garde legend — this was his 'paying the bills' era before becoming a film festival darling.
The French failure section uses footage rarely licensed elsewhere; most canal docs just recycle the same three photos.
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