Netflix has acquired “Skywalkers: A Love Story” following the documentary feature’s debut at the Sundance Film Festival.
“Skywalkers,” which premiered Jan. 18 at the Ray Theatre, follows daring couple Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus from Moscow, who saved their relationship and career by climbing one of the world’s tallest buildings. Per the official logline: “A daredevil couple journey across the globe to climb the world’s last super skyscraper and perform a bold acrobatic stunt on the spire.” The documentary took seven years of production.
“Skywalkers” is directed and written by Jeff Zimbalist, with Maria Bukhonina as co-director. Zimbalist and Bukhonina produced the film alongside Library Films’ Chris Smith and XYZ Films’ head of documentary Tamir Ardon, while XYZ Films’ Nick Spicer executive produced. XYZ Films and Library Films were co-studios on the All Rise Films production.
Variety‘s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman wrote in his “Skywalkers” review: “Jeff Zimbalist’s documentary redefines the words ‘high anxiety.’ It’s set in the world of rooftoopers, and it’s full of amazing, terrifying, transfixing verité shots of young daredevils scaling the spindly spires that shoot out of the tops of skyscrapers. Yet it’s also a tumultuous love story that follows the saga of two rooftoppers from Russia, Vanya Beerkus and Angela Nikolau. The film is about balancing on the tips of man-made mountains of steel and glass, but it’s also about trust, desire, dread, and transcendence.”
The deal for the film was negotiated by Nate Bolotin and Pip Ngo for XYZ Films. Deadline was first to report news of the sale.