HEALING Shorts Block
33 mins | 2023
Celia Aniskovich
Facing the Falls
International disability advocate & entrepreneur, Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan, deep in the throes of an aggressive, fatal muscle-wasting disease and no longer able to walk unassisted, ventures out on a daring, 12-day expedition through the Grand Canyon.
About
International disability advocate & entrepreneur, Cara Elizabeth Yar Khan, deep in the throes of an aggressive, fatal muscle-wasting disease and no longer able to walk unassisted, ventures out on a daring, 12-day expedition through the Grand Canyon. The descent into the Canyon mirrors Cara's personal journey as she and her team battle physical and mental adversities that threaten to kill, wound, or undo them without warning.
But a journey that begins as a quest for representation and dramatic advocacy quickly becomes an exercise in survival. When Cara suffers a serious head injury one hour into the descent, the team and crew realize that her life, and theirs, hang on each step, each handhold, and each group decision. Cara’s journey to live an extraordinary life and shatter the 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.
FACING THE FALLS is a story of fear, adrenaline, ambition, determination, hubris, courage, and perseverance against the odds. It is an emotional and transformational journey for anyone who has ever found themselves, inescapably, on the edge of a cliff.
FILMMAKER BIO
Celia Aniskovich
Celia Aniskovich is a New York-based director and producer. Her career began in live broadcast news as an NBC Page before she transitioned into narrative and documentary filmmaking. She has directed, produced, developed, and consulted on numerous US & UK projects and her films and series have been broadcast around the world.
In 2021, Aniskovich released Spy Affair, a 6-part podcast series for Wondery Originals based on the story of alleged Russian spy, Maria Butina. She also wrote, directed, and produced BURN IT DOWN!, a feature documentary about Woodstock 99, for MRC Studios/Rolling Stone that had its world premiere at the 2021 BFI London Film Festival. Her other 2021 premiers include a feature documentary she executive produced and directed for Discovery+, Fruitcake Fraud (Nominated for a Realscreen Award), and a film she produced for HBO Max, Beanie Mania. Her next film, a feature documentary entitled Call Me Miss Cleo, premieres in December on HBO Max. Aniskovich has worked on multiple Emmy-nominated programs and is repped by WME. She graduated from Fordham University in the Bronx & is a lifelong Mets fan.
CREDITS
Director
Celia Aniskovich
Producer
Celia Aniskovich
Producer
Liz Yale Marsh
Key Cast
Cara Yar Khan
Executive Producer
Sam Pollard
Executive Producer
Brenda Robinson
Executive Producer
Hillary Clinton