Soaring at 28,000 feet without a drop of fuel, nothing is predictable. Not the weather, not the technology. And certainly not the fate of a man, alone for five days in a fragile, first-of-its-kind aircraft with nothing but ocean below.
Point of No Return takes you behind the headlines of the first solar-powered flight around the world—where two courageous pilots take turns battling nature, their own crew, and sometimes logic itself, to achieve the impossible. Not just to make history, but to inspire a revolution.
The journey moved many to speak out:
“This very audacious courage – we need this kind of spirit to change this world.”
BAN KI-MOON
Former UN Secretary-General
“Huge step forward. It’s absolutely extraordinary. It’s pioneering clean energy.”
RICHARD BRANSON
FILMMAKERS
Creative partners for over a decade, filmmakers Noel Dockstader and Quinn Kanaly tell thought-provoking, impactful stories about science, history and exploration. When they learned of Solar Impulse’s audacious zero-fuel flight, they knew it had the potential to be one of the most important pioneering adventures of our time—and they felt compelled to capture it.
Over 10 months, Noel and Quinn found themselves on opposite sides of the world, tracking the unfolding drama both on the tarmac and at mission control—connected only by their cell phones and a shared vision for Point of No Return.
QUINN KANALY
“At its core, this film is about the perseverance and courage it takes to make difficult decisions when everything is on the line. When we look at the daunting challenge of the global climate crisis, this story of innovation and collaboration offers hope.”
NOEL DOCKSTADER
“There’s no certainty in adventure. Or in filmmaking. We didn’t know if the plane would make it around the world or if we would have a story in the end. It was a moonshot. But we knew we had to try.”
FLIGHT CREW
The psychiatrist and the engineer. On the surface, pilots Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg couldn’t be more different. But through hardship, conflict, and incredible risks, the two men staked their lives on Solar Impulse and forged a powerful bond. Their partnership ensured that each man, on their own in the air for days at a time, was never truly alone.
Bertrand Piccard
Pilot, Initiator
Born into a line of world-famous explorers, Bertrand feels the pull of the impossible. His love of adventure propelled him to be the first in history to circle the globe in a balloon. Now with his zero-fuel flight, he has an even more ambitious goal: to show the world the potential of clean energy. As his team faces a series of potentially devastating challenges, Bertrand’s pioneering spirit must keep the project from falling apart.
André Borschberg
Pilot, Co-founder
There is nothing André can’t fly. And while Solar Impulse heads into the unknown, his fighter-pilot past and intimate knowledge of the plane’s engineering make him a natural fit for a mission filled with calculated risk. Navigating the journey’s longest and most dangerous leg—five days and nights alone over the Pacific—André will face the most difficult decision of the project. And perhaps his life.
THE TEAM
Though the cockpit of the Solar Impulse has room for only one person, it carries on its historic flight the hearts and hopes of more than 120 scientists, experts and engineers.
Friendship, respect and an unshakable belief in the potential of clean energy helps this extraordinary crew stick together through a decade’s worth of technological setbacks and triumphs, sacrifices and delays. Charged with keeping two pilots alive and an experimental plane on course and in the air, their tireless hard work fuels the mission. And it just might change our world.
THE PLANE
As light as a family car, with the wingspan of a 747. Solar Impulse is a marvel of aeronautical engineering. And a dangerous gamble.
Its delicate frame could snap in two. Its custom tech could fail mid-flight. Its batteries could die in cloud cover or darkness. A thousand miscalculations could ground Solar Impulse before it reaches its goal. But for the team behind this revolutionary aircraft, the message—and the hope it carries to a world facing an environmental crisis—is well worth the risk.
SCREENINGS
FILM FESTIVALS & THEATRICAL
INTERNATIONAL FORUMS AND CONFERENCES
UNIVERSITY SCREENINGS
Press
“AN ABSORBING DOCUMENTARY.”
“A POWERFUL WAKE-UP CALL TO ACTION… AS DRAMATIC AND THRILLING AS ANY CINEMATIC SPACE ODYSSEY.”
“A BEAUTIFUL DOCUMENT OF A DREAM GIVEN FORM.”
“A COMPELLING TALE OF AMBITION AND ENDURANCE”
Oct 25, 2018
Canadian documentary culture magazine POV (Point of View) highlights Point of No Return as a top festival pick at Toronto’s Planet in Focus Film Festival.
AT SF GREEN FILM FESTIVAL POINT OF NO RETURN ALIGNS WITH GLOBAL CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT
Sept 4, 2018
SF Chronicle film critic G. Allen Johnson talks with filmmakers about chronicling the groundbreaking solar flight and the transition to sustainable energy – “we’re not as far away as we think we are.”
UC BERKELEY RADIO, KALX PROFILES POINT OF NO RETURN
June 2, 2018
KALX radio’s “Film Close Ups” in-depth interview with filmmakers about the challenges of making a verite-style documentary about this groundbreaking solar mission.
Full interview: UC Berkeley’s KALX Film Close Ups
POINT OF NO RETURN ONE OF SF CHRONICLE’S TOP MOVIE PICKS
June 7, 2018
At SF Documentary Festival (SF DocFest), POINT OF NO RETURN is selected by the San Francisco Chronicle’s movie critic, Mike LaSalle as one of his top “Movie Pics”.
POINT OF NO RETURN SHOWCASED ON THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB’S CLIMATE ONE
June 29, 2018
Filmmakers Quinn Kanaly and Noel Dockstader in conversation with Greg Dalton of Climate One about capturing the unfolding drama of this audacious zero-fuel flight.
“BEHIND THE SCENES OF A RISKY AND SPECTACULAR HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT”
June 5, 2018
Point of No Return featured as a must-see educational and entertaining documentary in the San Francisco Documentary Film Festival.
FILMMAKERS DISCUSS WHY ADVENTURE STILL MATTERS WITH RADIOLIVE NEW ZEALAND
May 28, 2018
Noel Dockstader and Quinn Kanaly speak to Graeme Hill on Weekend Variety during the Doc Edge Film Festival in Auckland, New Zealand.
WHY THE FILMMAKERS WERE DRAWN TO THIS EPIC STORY
February 1, 2018
“As we face so many daunting challenges in the 21st century, including climate change, this story about courage, grit, and teamwork against the odds, provide insights about how we might collectively be able to tackle them.”
FILMMAKERS TALK ABOUT THEIR DOCUMENTARY AT SBIFF
February 1, 2018
The filmmakers talk about the ups and downs both they and the pilots encounter along their journey around the world and what it took to capture this important moment in history.
POINT OF NO RETURN TO HAVE IT’S WEST COAST PREMIERE AT SBIFF
February 1, 2018
Point of No Return offers a beacon of hope for transforming today’s society into one which uses clean technology, a mission Santa Barbara has adopted as well.
A DOCUMENTARY WITH “AN INCREDIBLE REAL-LIFE STORY TO TELL”
November 8, 2017
Filmmakers Quinn Kanaly and Noel Dockstader appear on Good Morning Hawaii to talk about the many dangers the Solar Impulse team faced on their journey.
POINT OF NO RETURN A “CAN’T-MISS MOVIE”
November 6, 2017
“Everyone, not just technology fans, green romantics and STEM graduates, will thrill to Point of No Return, the story of the solar-powered airplane that circled the globe”
AN INSPIRATION THAT THE IMPOSSIBLE IS POSSIBLE
November 3, 2017
Chris Vandercook interviews pilot André Borschberg about Point of No Return and inspiring a clean energy revolution.
GRIPPING FILM TO DEBUT IN HAWAII
November 3, 2017
Quinn Kanaly: “This film is not just about a plane, it’s a human drama. It’s about grappling with the unknown. Grappling with fear.”
SOLAR IMPULSE DOCUMENTARY TO PREMIER AT HIFF
November 3, 2017
Watch filmmakers Quinn Kanaly and Noel Dockstader talk about their film and the important role Oahu played in the story.
SOLAR IMPULSE PILOT RETURNS FOR HIFF PREMIERE
November 3, 2017
“Andre Borschberg, the Swiss pilot of the Solar Impulse … returns on Sunday for the premiere of the film Point of No Return at the Hawaii International Film Festival.”
SOLAR PLANE DOCUMENTARY DEBUTS AT HIFF
October 30, 2017
“a feature-length documentary that takes viewers behind the headlines of one of the great scientific adventure stories of our century.”
HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES POINT OF NO RETURN PREMIERE IN FILM LINEUP
October 6th, 2017
The festival will present 160 films from over 45 countries. Through their programming, HIFF continues to advance understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America by presenting films from around the world.
IMAGE GALLERY
Take Action
SPREAD THE MESSAGE
Request a screening of Point of No Return for your community, school, or organization.
DEMAND CLEAN ENERGY FOR ALL
Let your representatives know you are ready for 100% clean energy and see who is already on board.
Learn more: Sierra Club
PUSH THE PARIS AGREEMENT
Ask your mayor, governor, school, CEO, or community to stay committed to the goals of the Paris Agreement, as 100+ companies have done.
Learn more: We Are Still In
GO SOLAR
Take direct action on climate change by putting solar panels on your home or business.
Learn more: RE-volv
KNOW YOUR ENERGY OPTIONS
Find out what kinds of clean energy you can get from your utility provider.
Learn more: Energy.gov
MAKE YOUR HOME MORE EFFICIENT
Here are eight simple steps to save energy around the house.
Learn more: Sierra Club
OFFSET YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Contribute to projects that are proven to verifiably reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Learn more: Cool Effect
MORE RESOURCES
Organizations working for a more sustainable future:
Project Drawdown – 100 solutions to reverse global warming
World Alliance for Efficient Solutions / Solar Impulse Foundation
350.org – Uniting climate activists around the world
Re100 – Companies committed to renewable power
Contact
PRESS INQUIRIES
DISTRIBUTION
Dan Braun, Submarine Entertainment
212-625-1410
[email protected]
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GENERAL INFO
© 2018 Point of No Return. All rights reserved.