About

Synopsis

The film tells the story of international disability rights advocate, Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan. Deep in the throes of an aggressive, fatal muscle-wasting disease and no longer able to walk unassisted, Cara ventures out on a daring, 12-day expedition through the Grand Canyon.

Cara’s journey to live an extraordinary life and shatter stigma against people living with disabilities unexpectedly becomes a deep dive into fear, trust and vulnerability. As the entire expedition team grapples with unanticipated dangers in a truly remote wilderness, they also come face to face with their individual demons, insecurities, and internal conflicts.

Director's statement

Celia Aniskovich, Director

Facing the Falls is an inspiring story - and when I first met Cara, her story did inspire me. But like all of the people who took part in this trip, and anyone who has ever spent time with Cara knows, “inspirational” falls short of encapsulating the exceptional woman at the heart of this story. And it certainly doesn’t adequately describe the kind of film we’re hoping to create.

Perhaps Cara explains it best, in her final interview of the trip, when she says that inspiration is a fleeting feeling. She’s glad she’s inspired you - but, more importantly, she hopes she’s motivated you.

We see this film as the story of a trip, and a life, that defied the odds. But more than a feat of endurance or a feel-good tale of perseverance, this will be the story of personal transformation, a passion for equal representation, and a call to action.

Cara starts this journey, like so many of us, trying to conquer her demons - her disease, her past traumas, and her fears for the future. But by the end of 12 messy, difficult, exhilarating and terrifying days traversing the Grand Canyon, Cara and the team find a new sense of peace, courage, and drive. Their demons transform. Rather than something to conquer, HIBM becomes a well-spring for strength and hope.

On the trail, Cara comes face to face with the realities of her illness. There’s no pretending in the Grand Canyon - Cara will never walk again. And this film isn’t here to tell you that we’ve found a life-saving cure. It’s here to say something far more important. Something that’s messier, something that takes work and sweat and drive, something that’s real and sometimes really hard. Cara took this journey, not for herself, but for the rest of us. She went on a pilgrimage that transformed her life and her story, so that we could be transformed.

As Cara says, we hope this film will motivate you: to do the thing people say you cannot do, to be the person you want to be, to show kindness and acceptance even when it’s not easy, to work to change the future. To hope - against all odds - to hope.