It’s a bird! It’s a plane! Nope, it’s two Russian influencers taking selfies on some of the highest buildings in the world. In Emmy and Peabody-winning filmmaker Jeff Zimbalist’s stomach-churning documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, human perseverance and ability are pushed to jaw-dropping heights. Premiering in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival, Zimbalist follows the careers of two daredevils who attempt to scale the tallest skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in the hopes of resuscitating their internet notoriety and building back the trust that had been dwindling within their rocky relationship. In an early acquisition from the festival, Netflix bought the distribution rights (and we’re hoping that they give it the big screen experience it desperately deserves).

The premise sounds both risky and ridiculous but after watching Russian rooftoppers Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus are clearly in their element as they pose and take pictures among the clouds. The beauty of this image seems to outshine the worry of how they made it happen. Angela and Ivan started as competitors in the niche community of “rooftoppers” but after an opportunity to collaborate on a brand deal presented itself, the duo quickly became inseparable.

Angela, the daughter of two circus performers, always knew that her path was going to be an unusual one. She loved using her body as expressionist art and took to Instagram to share her death-defying stunts. Ivan, in a similar fashion, much to his parent’s concern, found the lawlessness of rooftopping exhilarating. Angela and Ivan’s shared outlook on life as extreme athletes, learning to deal with the ever-present risk that follows them, became the building blocks for a truly special relationship. Constantly facing life-or-death situations, they understand the necessity of maintaining a strong foundation of trust if they are to make it out of these stunts alive. This culminates in one of the biggest tests of their trust, endurance, and rooftopping skills as they take on the infamous Malaysian skyscraper, despite the many roadblocks that nearly derail the attempt and sabotage their careers.

Using vertie footage shot by cinematographers Renato Borrayo Serrano and Pablo Rojas, as well as Ivan and Angela themselves, Skywalkers: A Love Story puts audiences front and center to witness one of the most daring acts ever attempted by a human being. Similar in its anxiety-inducing qualities to last year’s The Deepest Breath, Skywalkers has no shortage of “Hold your breath” moments which all culminate in a heart-pounding pinnacle stunt. Those with a fear of heights would be better off skipping this film altogether, as there is more time spent in the air (sans a safety net) than on land.

The events that make up the film are all highly illegal and the film does its due diligence by placing a “Do not attempt at home” warning at the onset, but those with an adventurous side are hard-pressed to imagine the guts it would take to scale a building for some Instagram likes. The “why” may not resonate with many, but there is absolutely no denying that this film is a stunning achievement. Skywalkers: A Love Story is a mesmerizing tour de force guaranteed to give full-body chills to anyone who dares to watch it.

Skywalkers: A Love Story was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.