First descents by kayak are usually high-risk ventures. By definition, they’re beset by the unforeseen if not always the unexpected. The Pandi River in Papua, New Guinea, proves no exception to the rule with 50-foot falls, extreme hydraulics and even the odd crocodile or two to keep things honest. That said, this film is much less an adrenaline flick than a short homage to stunning natural beauty, prolific biodiversity and venerable ancient customs—all of which are, daily, more and more threatened by the modern world.
—Peter Kenworthy