They went to paddle a river. Nobody told them there was no exit.
Ben Stookesberry and a group of kayakers attempt a first descent of the Beriman River in Papua New Guinea. The daunting 40km run is lined with many dangers and no way out but to ride out to the ocean. Follow them as they make the plunge into the unknown in this arduous but rewarding paddling experience.
Cinematography
Helmet-cam footage that induces actual vertigo.
Direction
Tight 53 minutes—no fat, all fear.
Practical Effects
Real first descent, real consequences, no stunt doubles.
Director
Bryan Smith
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Beriman Gorge had been scouted by helicopter twice before; both teams deemed it unrunable. Stookesberry's crew went anyway.
The kayakers rely on local villagers for portage help and route knowledge, yet the film frames them as conquering pioneers—a tension it never examines.
US
