The Rescue: A Story of Bravery, Cave Diving & Generosity

The Rescue explores the story of the dramatic Tham Luang cave rescue in 2018, when twelve boys and their soccer coach were saved from deep inside a flooded cave in northern Thailand. But like all great documentaries, it is about so much more – bravery, cave diving, the human spirit and ultimately, generosity. 

The Rescue is the latest masterpiece by the Oscar-winning director Chai Vasrahelyi, which she co-directed and co-produced with her partner in film and life, Jimmy Chin.

Chai joins us to discuss how the filmmakers were able to bring to life one of the most perilous and extraordinary rescues in modern times. She explains the main challenges in the making of the film, why they used re-enactments, and how they obtained access to exclusive interviews and never-before-seen footage from this dramatic event.   

The Rescue, produced by National Geographic Documentary Films, had its theatrical release in the US on October 8th and in the UK on October 29th.

“The ordinary people were able to do something so extraordinary.” - Chai Vasarhelyi  

Time Stamps:

00:00 - The trailer for The Rescue.
03:50 - What the film is about and what drew Chai to this story.
06:49 - The commonalities between free climbing and cave diving.
08:14 - Who the rescue team were and how the boys helped with their own rescue.
11:12 - First clip: how the boys were rescued.
14:22 - The main challenges of bringing this story to life.
18:42 - Actual rescue footage and why re-enactments were used to complete the story.
19:45 - How Chai keeps people engaged while watching a film. 
20:57 - The next project Chai is working on.
21:55 - Second clip: the moment when divers reached the boys for the first time.   

Resources:

The Rescue (2021)
Free Solo (2018)
Innersound Audio
Alamo Pictures  

Connect with Chai Vasarhelyi:

Instagram 

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Transcript for Factual America Episode 75 - The Rescue: A Story of Bravery, Cave Diving & Generosity

Chai Vasarhelyi 00:00
Hello, I'm Chai Vasarhelyi, director of The Rescue.

Speaker 1 00:11
Breaking news right now out of Thailand.

Speaker 2 00:14
Rescue teams are working through the night to save 12 boys and their coach trapped inside a cave.

Speaker 3 00:20
The monsoon had come early. The conditions in the cave were impossible. There was a very strong feeling that the children couldn't be still alive.

Speaker 4 00:33
We need expert cave divers out here.

Speaker 5 00:36
The Thai Navy SEALs put everything they had into it. But only this group of people who do it as a weekend hobby has those skills

Speaker 6 00:47
I was thinking this has actually got our name all over it.

Speaker 7 00:53
You couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Trying to wriggle through holes that I couldn't wriggle through. Finding a bigger space, sliding through, and then repeating again and again.

Speaker 8 01:07
How, how many of you?

Speaker 9 01:09
Thirteen.

Speaker 10 01:10
Thirteen?

Speaker 11 01:10
Yes.

Speaker 12 01:11
We look into each other's faces, thinking, we may be the only ones that ever see them.

Speaker 13 01:18
Finding the boys was the easy part. They didn't have a clue how to get those kids out.

Speaker 14 01:27
We didn't think it was possible to dive the children out. We came up with the actual logistical plan.

Speaker 15 01:33
I told him that's a horrible idea. And then Rick said, What if it's the only idea?

Speaker 16 01:39
We were brutally honest. We promised multiple fatalities.

Speaker 17 01:45
It's about controlling your emotions and your fear. Panic is death in the cave.

Speaker 18 01:51
My mind was on overdrive. My god, am I gonna be good enough? If they have died, it's gonna tear me apart.

Speaker 19 01:57
If you don't dive, everyone will die.

Speaker 20 02:01
I told the guys, this is a one way trip. Once you start, you cannot stop.

Speaker 21 02:09
Believe. Believe.

Matthew 02:22
That is a trailer from the National Geographic documentary, The Rescue. And this is Factual America. We're brought to you by Alamo Pictures, an Austin and London based production company, making documentaries about America for international audiences. I'm your host, Matthew Sherwood. Each week, I watch a hit documentary and then talk with the filmmakers and their subjects. This week, it is my great honor to welcome Oscar winning filmmaker, Chai Vasarhelyi, to the podcast. Chai's latest masterpiece is The Rescue, which she co-directed, and co-produced, with her partner in film, and life, Jimmy Chin. The Rescue is about the Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand in 2018. But like all great documentaries, it is about so much more: bravery, cave diving the human spirit, and ultimately, generosity. The film had its theatrical release in the US on October 8. And releasing here in the UK on October 29. Chai, welcome to Factual America. How are things with you? I imagine you're having a busy day. Is it media day today?

Chai Vasarhelyi 03:25
It is media day, but it's very nice to be here in London.

Matthew 03:28
Oh, well, you're actually in London? Oh, well, welcome. Welcome to the UK. Congratulations on another amazing film. Thank you so much. And for our audience here in the UK, who hasn't had - well, it hasn't had a chance to see it because it releases on tomorrow, actually October 29. You can give us a quick synopsis of what is The Rescue all about?

Chai Vasarhelyi 03:51
Well, The Rescue chronicles the 2018 rescue of the Thai soccer team and their coach that were trapped deep in a cave in Northern Thailand.

Matthew 04:00
Okay, and what - I mean, most people will know this story, it was all over the media. And what drew you to this story because you've won just about every award under the sun with Free Solo, I imagine you could have named your project, after that. What was it about this one that really drew you to it?

Chai Vasarhelyi 04:24
I think if you think back to the summer of 2018 It was a dark political time in the world. And I [was] personally riveted by the story as it transpired. And maybe it was just as a parent of Asian children. But I was always struck by this idea of how so many different people from different nations, languages, volunteers, military came together and really affected an impossible rescue, you know, against all odds, and I think that it was that idea of connection that compelled us to make this film, and why we thought it was an important story.

Matthew 05:04
And, as I think you've already mentioned here now, it's so much more than just this actual event, isn't it? I mean, it's a film about cave diving, a celebration of the human spirit. Bravery, doing the impossible, which I think is - seems to be a theme of some of your movies - and ultimately, generosity. That all plays into this, doesn't it?

Chai Vasarhelyi 05:28
No, it's all central to the film. And that's why we made it, was that, you know, this idea of moral courage, of doing the right thing because you can, you know, being your best self, being generous, like, that's what, that's the stuff that connects us, and not divides us. And so, yeah, it seemed - it's kind of bittersweet that it's only become more poignant through the pandemic. But, you know, it always was kind of this urgent story we wanted to tell.

Matthew 05:56
Yeah, I mean, I think what struck me is just the number of everyday heroes that are in this film. I mean, we're talking about a cast of hundreds, if not 1000s. And we wouldn't know these people otherwise, if it hadn't been for this unfortunate situation where this boys' soccer team ended up being stranded in a cave. And I guess a lot of them found their true selves in this event, too. I mean, would you contrast that with people like Alex Honnold from Free Solo, or even your husband, Jimmy Chin? I mean, are these people cut of the same cloth? They're heroes, they're adventurers of a sort? But how do they - I mean, what struck you about the people that you met, who were the heroes of this story?

Chai Vasarhelyi 06:46
I mean, sure, I mean, there's a lot in common between the climbing culture and the cave diving subculture. But, you know, the stakes with this rescue were so much higher than, you know - Alex, a very intentional choice to live a life and to take those risks. So, I think it really is like that - again, coming on to the moral courage, like this idea of like, no hesitancy to do the right thing that really, always, like, defines these men to me. Like, every time I think about it, I think about Dr. Harris. He would have lost everything. No one would ever let him practice medicine again.

Matthew 07:26
Yeah.

Chai Vasarhelyi 07:27
He's a father, I don't know how I'd look at my own kids, if I ended up killing a child. And they all really believed that saving one child to be a success. And that's accepting that they might kill eleven. So, that kind of defining character is what I thought was so fascinating about this film, you know, it, like, really brings out the best in us.

Matthew 07:52
And, I mean, we're talking I mean, we're based here in the UK, I mean, we're talking about some, in some ways, a very quintessential English, or British, movie in many ways. These guys, as they even describe themselves as sort of schlubby, middle aged men coming to the rescue [of] people that we have no knowledge of until now.

Chai Vasarhelyi 08:14
No, they're volunteers. I mean, Rick's a retired fireman; John, a management consultant. And, you know, meteorologists, electrician, you know, rope specialists, like an electric company. Like, it's really, really unlikely. But again, that's kind of that thing that, like, these ordinary people were able to do something so extraordinary.

Matthew 08:37
Yeah. And the children as well. I mean, I think what was amazing is how extraordinary they were; how they coped with this.

Chai Vasarhelyi 08:46
No, I think the children very much participated in their own rescue, you know, they made a very counterintuitive, good decision, which is many people would have stayed close to where they got blocked - cut off. But instead, they saved their lives by finding the highest ground possible and staying there. And, you know, I think, you know, I'd like to see American kids try to survive that situation. You know, I look at my own kids, and I'm like, No way. But, you know, I think it's a testament to this - to a certain stoicism, that in the culture, as well as, like, these are kids from northern Thailand, whose parents, for the most part are day laborers. They live tough lives. The cave was, like, the most enchanting kind of playground they had. And, you know, every year before the monsoons, you go into the cave, like, it's like the last of summer. So, I think that those children, like, played a big part in their own survival. And I think also, who's to say that, like, their hope, and their prayers aren't responsible for why they lived? You know, that was kind of the interesting thing for Jimmy and myself about this film is that there is an East-West situation going on here, which is very part of the story. And you know, maybe, you know, Kruba Boonchum, the monk, like, maybe he did talk to the princess. You know, who knows, like, I give a lot of credence to, like, those belief systems.

Matthew 10:06
Yeah. Well, indeed because they are even meditating in the cave. They learn techniques to conserve their energy. Because as it comes out in the film, the oxygen levels were just not sustainable. They were just a matter of days. I mean, I agree with you. I mean, and that's again, this thing as you're talking about this cast of 1000s, East meets West. I mean, we had Chinese, we had the US Air Force, we had these British, Australian people from all over the world who came together, and it was truly this world story in the middle of a World Cup. And the world's attention's all on this little, little cave and - or not so little cave - in Thailand, which is an amazing sort of feat of bringing people together.

Chai Vasarhelyi 10:59
No, I mean, that's the last thing. I don't know, moral of the story. You know, it took a lot of different people to, and together they were able to achieve something that's totally impossible.

Speaker 1 11:12
We surfaced in what became known as chamber three. We thought we'd found four of the football team.

Speaker 2 11:31
[Thai: Help! Help! We are over here!]

Speaker 3 11:32
[In Thai: I said, "Hey! There's someone under water!" Then, someone surfaced. Oh, they're foreigners!]

Speaker 1 11:40
They were pump workers that they'd been asleep on the sandbank, missed the evacuation and got flooded into the cave. And nobody knew they were missing. We didn't know if that chamber was gonna flood completely in hours or minutes. We needed to dive these four guys out immediately.

Speaker 3 12:00
[In Thai: My son said, "We're going to die! They only have one tank."]

Speaker 1 12:03
They were terrified. But they didn't have another option. We just gave them a regulator from one of the cylinders that was still attached to us.

Speaker 4 12:17
[Indistinct, worried talking in Thai]

Speaker 1 12:20
So, we have to keep them very close to us or the regulator in their mouth is going to be pulled out and they're not going to breathe. It's highly disorientating, being led, basically blind, underwater. It was quite brutal. They were banging their head. We were moving them around trying to find the right hole for them to go through. All of the pump workers reacted the same. The second they thought they were under airspace, they kind of bolted up without any thought.

Speaker 5 13:04
[In Thai: I was already half dead. I swallowed a lot of water.]

Speaker 1 13:17
I described it as an underwater wrestling match. After getting the pump workers out, we didn't turn round and go back in the cave. It was too dangerous. The four water workers, they were underwater for only 30-40 seconds. But, they still panicked, and they were adults. Now, if we were talking about a group of children, we didn't think it was possible for us to dive the children out. Even if they were alive, it can't be done.

Factual America midroll 13:57
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Matthew 14:18
What were the main challenges in bringing this story to life, for you?

Chai Vasarhelyi 14:23
Every film has its challenges. This film had many, many significant challenges. I think mainly was that there was no known footage from within the cave.

Matthew 14:32
Yeah.

Chai Vasarhelyi 14:33
What would you even put on the screen? You know that was [a] fundamental problem. And there was also a rights situation where one Hollywood studio acquired the life rights to the children, and their families; another Hollywood studio acquired the life rights to a few of the divers, so there was always going to be that challenge where could you include the voices of the children or not or, you know, etc. So, so we decided re-enactments are really, like, were going to be, you know, crucial. And, I have to say, like, no one besides those 10 divers knew or saw what they did, right? Like, the children... Like, the Thai Navy SEALs, for the most part, were after chamber three. And, but, like, before chamber three, and when we went to Pinewood Studios and, you know, the divers show up with all their real gear, and I was like, no wonder the military was skeptical of you guys. I mean, like, Rick's, wetsuit is shredded, there's still mud on it, probably from the cave, for all we know, I'm like, Wow, yeah, like, there's duct tape on his wetsuit. But then, like, when they actually - like, they're so precise, and, you know, detail oriented. So, when it actually got down to it, and you'd watched John, like, tenderly, you know, bind a child's hands behind their back, and bind their feet together, and then push their head down. Like, suddenly, like, emotional weight, and responsibility, these men are willing to shoulder becomes very vivid. And so, as a storyteller, I needed to see that with my own eyes, and it was only re-enactments and, like, being in a tank with those guys, that I saw it. It's like, even though we used, like, real Thai children, who were actors, of course, but watching John and Rick interact with the real children, I understood very quickly, you know, there's more bark than bite there, like, you know, they're very - John's a dad. And they're so careful and protective. And so, there was a lot that we learned from the re-enactments. And then, the other part of it was, there was a rumor that the Thai Navy SEALs had filmed within the cave. And it's actually an extraordinary story because the Admiral of the Thai Navy SEALs is married to a journalist. And so, the admiral's wife was the only person in the world could probably convince someone to have - to film inside the cave. You know, everyone listened, you know. And, yeah, we tried negotiating for this footage for two years. And because of the rights issues, it was really important, because I wanted to be - get as close to the children as possible. But after I got my second vaccine, and finally made it to Thailand, they agreed to collaborate. And she came to New York, and we were expecting maybe an hour of footage, and it turned out to be 87 hours.

Matthew 17:17
Oh my goodness.

Chai Vasarhelyi 17:18
And it was like a documentary miracle. I was like, we just got rescued! Because every single important moment was documented. And, you know, from Rick and John emerging in chamber three to let the Thai Navy SEALs know they found the kids. All this stuff has never been seen before. Like, the kids having their first meal. Dr. Pak with the kids, the motivational cheer. And then, you know, coming back to this idea of everyone working together, you know, no one had any eyes on what happened between chamber three and one. And so, in the movie, you see there's 200 people hand-passing a child, and you finally understand that this thing was huge. And they needed 100s-1000s of people to support these 10 divers.

Matthew 18:03
Yeah. I mean, I think what is amazing that - you're right, and I think it's come out and I know in other interviews about sort of the, however, you want to look at it, serendipity, the miracles, the things that have happened with this project, but I think, I mean, at some point there, I wasn't even really consciously thinking, but I was like, did they re-enact this? Because it's so - the way you've edited it together, I was, I was like, wow, this is amazing footage. Or did they re-? You know, I couldn't tell. And it was only at the end of watching the credits that I saw re-enactments, and I was like, okay.

Chai Vasarhelyi 18:41
Well, some of the critical moments were there. Like, with Dr. Harris anesthetizing a child that's real. The oxygen meters real, you know, discovery of the children's real. So, we got really lucky that, like, the most critical moments were there. And so, the re-enactments really became, like, the I don't know, the tissue in between.

Matthew 19:00
Okay. Hey, I know, we don't have that much more time with you, unfortunately, but could I ask you, how do you, I mean, you've kind of - this is just following on from this. How do you recapture this moment? I mean, basically, how do you keep us on the edge of our seats? Because I think I've seen somewhere else you said the difference between doc. and drama is you don't know how it ends in a documentary. But actually, in this case, you do. And it would be very easy to say, Oh well, we know the kids get rescued and - but then there we are, we find ourselves, like, almost hoping and wishing and praying that - how are they going to get through this? Is this something that goes back to way back when you were, you know, avid reader or just being a storyteller? How do you do this?

Chai Vasarhelyi 19:44
Well, I mean, I see my job as allowing audiences to get as close to these experiences as possible, right? You want to be able to see through Rick and John's eyes. You want to understand what 40 years preceded this and prepared them for this moment. And so, it's just about narrative, you know, construction, and craft, and I won't take credit by myself. And we work with a wonderful editor, Bob Eisenhardt, who's edited Free Solo and Meru and very, very close. He's my closest, our closest, creative collaborator. And, you know, we take a long time to make these films; a really long time. Because every moment is intentional. And I think that for Jimmy and I, like, I don't know how many movies I'm gonna make. I really like hanging out with my kids, too. So, like, if we're gonna do it, it's got to be - we've got to give it our all. The same way those guys did. Like, this is the one little thing I can do, so I'll do my best. Yeah.

Matthew 20:42
Well, I mean, by your standards, this is actually was a pretty quick turnaround, I think, but only three years or so. So, before I let you go. What's next for you? After The Rescue?

Chai Vasarhelyi 20:56
We've been making a long term documentary for, I mean, for seven years now about Jimmy's mentors. So, that's Yvon Chouinard, who founded Patagonia. Doug Tompkins founded The North Face and Osprey, and Christine Tompkins who, like, brought them both together, because those guys were best friends. And they met, like, when they were 18. And it's really about, like, the original eco-warriors. Like, these are the people who really saw it coming in terms of our planet, and lived these passionate, crazy lives where they stuck up for their values and, you know, it worked out.

Matthew 21:30
Okay. Well, we certainly look forward to that one. But in the meantime, I do recommend everyone do check out The Rescue as some of the most exciting cinema I've watched in a while. So, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thanks for coming to the UK. It's great to have you here. And hopefully we can have you on again sometime.

Chai Vasarhelyi 21:51
Thank you so much.

Speaker 1 21:54
And we took our equipment off on the other side of the passage, made our way over to them.

Speaker 1 22:02
I mean, clearly, John has a son, and - I haven't got children. I've structured my life to avoid children as much as possible. But John is a cub master, so he's used to dealing with groups of children.

Children 22:02
[Indistinct talking]

John Volanthen 22:13
So, thumbs up. Say, "Yay!"

Children 22:14
Yay!

Speaker 1 22:16
He got them to do a motivational exercise.

John Volanthen 22:19
Everybody say "Yeah!"

Children 22:20
Yeah!

John Volanthen 22:22
Excellent! Say, "Hello Americans!"

Children 22:23
Hello Americans!

John Volanthen 22:25
"Hello Thai Navy!"

Children 22:26
Hello Thai Navy!

John Volanthen 22:30
Say, "Hello, Australians!"

Children 22:32
Hello Australians!

John Volanthen 22:33
"Hello, Chinese!"

Children 22:34
Hello, Chinese!

John Volanthen 22:37
"And thank you, everybody else."

John Volanthen 22:39
And thank you, everybody!

John Volanthen 22:41
Okay, we see you soon.

Speaker 1 22:44
As we left, pretty much all of them came and hugged us individually. I made them a promise that I would come back.

Speaker 2 22:52
I am relieved to see you.

Speaker 4 22:55
So, where you come from?

John Volanthen 22:55
England. The U.K.

John Volanthen 22:55
We are happy, too.

Speaker 3 22:57
Thank you so much.

John Volanthen 23:03
Okay.

Speaker 1 23:06
As we went round the corner and kitted up, total silence between me and John; just a look into each other's faces thinking we may be the only ones that ever see them. That was a distinct possibility. The whole journey back all I was thinking was what on earth are we going to do now?

Matthew 23:34
So, big thank you once again to Chai Vasarhelyi, the co-director and co-producer, along with Jimmy Chin, of The Rescue, on theatrical release in the US and about to be released here in the UK on October 29. A big shout out to Sam and Joe at Innersound Audio in Escrick, England, just outside of York. A big thanks to Nevena Paunovic, our podcast manager at Alamo Pictures who ensures we continue getting such great guests like Chai on to the show. Finally, a big thanks to our listeners. As always, we love to hear from you. So, please keep sending us feedback and episode ideas. Do it on YouTube, social media, or directly by email. And please remember to like us and share us with your friends and family, wherever you happen to listen or watch podcasts. This is Factual America, signing off.

Factual America Outro 24:21
You've been listening to Factual America. This podcast is produced by Alamo Pictures, specializing in documentaries, television, and shorts about the USA for international audiences. Head on down to the show notes for more information about today's episode, our guests, and the team behind the podcast. Subscribe to our mailing list or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @alamopictures. Be the first to hear about new productions, festivals showing our films, and to connect with our team. Our homepage is alamopictures.co.uk