Documentary
1 x 60 min HD
Available Worldwide
Using rare, personal photographs, writings and first-person interviews with family, friends and fellow adventurers, Back to the Wild brings to life Christopher McCandless’ epic and profoundly tragic journey into the Alaskan wilderness.
In August of 1992, 24-year-old Christopher McCandless, AKA Alexander Supertramp, dies alone in the Alaskan backcountry. It is a tragic end to his 2-year journey to escape societal pressures and live life freely on his own terms. When two moose hunters find Chris’s body in an abandoned Fairbanks Transit Bus, they also discover endless rolls of film and a thick hand-written journal. The photos and journal hold the secrets to the identity of this enigmatic man and his remarkable journey. Back to the Wild tells the story of that journey from its beginnings when Chris receives his diploma from Emory University and immediately signs his trust fund over to charity. He then sets out on an uncompromising personal journey through the American West and finally into the wilds of Alaska. All along the way, Chris profoundly affects the people he meets. For the first time ever, these people will tell their story and how their time with Chris changed them forever.
Burning the little cash he has and abandoning his car in the Nevada desert, Chris embarks on an adventure that takes him through Arizona, California and South Dakota. He ultimately trades in money and material possessions for raw, unfiltered experiences in nature, dropping off the radar and heading into what would be his final adventure – the Alaskan wilderness. Chris/Alex lives off the land for 3 months before losing his battle against the wild, spending his last days in an abandoned bus. Back to the Wild immerses the audience in the beauty and the tragedy of one man’s journey to live an authentic life and disappear into the wild.
For some, Christopher McCandless is an icon, with idealistic, devoted followers. For others, his fatal mistakes provoke passionate criticism. But whether revered or questioned, McCandless was unwavering in his quest…and Back to the Wild will touch the innate adventurer in all of us.
