A CRACK IN THE MOUNTAIN

A CRACK IN THE MOUNTAIN

Directed by: Alastair Evans | 104 min | 2021 | Hong Kong

A Crack In The Mountain tells the story of the world's largest cave. Hang Sơn Đoòng, which translates as "mountain river cave," is located in the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park in Quảng Bình Province in Vietnam. The national park is a UNESCO world heritage site.

First found in 1990 by a local farmer, the cave wasn't explored until 2009, when a British expedition team rigged ropes and descended. Many people have described Sơn Đoòng as a lost world. It has its own lake, jungle, and unique weather system. In 2014 plans were announced to build a cable car into Sơn Đoòng.

With many arguing that this would destroy the cave's delicate ecosystem, and the local community divided over the benefits of this development, the film follows those caught up in the unfolding events.

The documentary also investigates related themes such as the challenges of modern-day exploration, environmental conservation and sustainability, and the perils of operating as an activist in a country such as Vietnam, where freedom of speech is severely curtailed.

PRECEDED BY THE SHORT FILM: Trash Day

Directed by: Caroline Vokas | 11 min | 2021 | United States

Trash Day is a verité-style documentary that examines America's abundance of discarded goods through the eyes of New York City's dumpster divers.

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