Out of the Dark

Twelve children are trapped deep within a Thailand cave with their soccer coach. Torrential rains are expected, and will submerge the young boys unless a rescue mission is mounted as soon as possible. The documentary Out of the Dark recounts every detail of this astonishing 18-day ordeal that captivated the globe.

Once the location of the missing soccer team had been established - almost a full 10 days after they first entered the cave - Thai authorities joined with military forces from the United States and Britain, as well as a squad of the world's most experienced cave divers. Together, they attempted to draw up a realistic extraction plan.

Characterized by a treacherous labyrinth of jagged rock, tightly constricted travel routes and rising levels of potentially deadly pools of water, the cave presented rescuers with a unique set of challenges that made survival a dubious possibility at best. The plan of action was by no means foolproof, but it needed to be conducted confidently and without hesitation. Families of the imperiled, along with well wishers from around the world, could only sit by and hope for a miracle.

While these events were unfurling, news cameras were generally not allowed within the gated enclosures surrounding the cave. But this film provides unprecedented access to the drama experienced by rescuers, family members and other first-person witnesses. We see the parents of the trapped children as they set up camp at the rescue site, biding their time until they're allowed a glimpse of their child or any update in regards to their rescue.

Through a series of reflective interviews, the divers and other figures who performed valiantly on the front line of the mission speak of their daring acts of heroism in matter-of-fact tones, but each of them are well aware of the grave perils that awaited them as they attempted this ambitious rescue. These interviews are accentuated by pulse-pounding footage taken from the bowels of the caves.

The Thailand cave rescue culminated into one of the most hopeful and euphoric stories of recent times. Out of the Dark is a suspenseful and emotionally rewarding recapturing of these events.