Private Project

Fly The Roof

'Fly The Roof' (Short Documentary) is the story of four young Kiwis stepping outside of their comfort zones in a foreign continent to help those in need. The team of Harry, Ryan, Chris and Guido began a project that would see them learn how to paraglide, climb to the roof of Africa (Mt. Kilimanjaro) and attempt to fly from the summit of the world’s tallest freestanding mountain in September 2019. Their core purpose was to fundraise $40,000 NZD ($25,000 USD) via Wings of Kilimanjaro for the Emboreet primary school in Simanjiro, Tanzania. 'Fly The Roof' is a story of true adventure, brotherhood and an immense determination to create change.

  • Harry Seagar
    Director
  • Ryan Wilkes
    Director
  • Harry Seagar
    Executive Producers
  • Ryan Wilkes
    Executive Producers
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Adventure, Mountains, Flight, Travel, Charity, Extreme Sport, Drama
  • Runtime:
    36 minutes 51 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 19, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    75,000 NZD
  • Country of Origin:
    New Zealand
  • Country of Filming:
    New Zealand, Tanzania, United Republic of
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Panasonic Lumix 1920x1080 24p
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Harry Seagar, Ryan Wilkes

Harry Seagar is a young Director and Producer of media from Aotearoa New Zealand, passionate about creating compelling content that promotes positive global, environmental, and social change. By using his experience in the creative sector and experiences from exploring diverse parts of the world, such as the scenic beauty of Aotearoa NZ to the icy terrains of Antarctica and the vast expanse of Africa, where he’s produced award-winning adventure, cultural, conservation, and educational content.

Notably, in 2019, he was selected as the Sir Peter Blake Trust (BLAKE) Antarctic Ambassador, where he would go on to visit Scott Base and produce ‘Antarctica Unfrozen’ the podcast. In 2021, he was an Inspiring Stories Impact Award Finalist and his first feature documentary ‘Fly The Roof’ won People’s Choice Award at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (VIMFF) where it World Premiered. In 2023 ‘Mutinda’ (Short Conservation Documentary) won the FUJIFILM Create Forever Award Best Student Film, New York WILD Film Festival, USA.

Ryan Wilkes is an emerging documentary cinematographer and director, and holds a PhD in Bioengineering. Through documenting adventurous pursuits, new discoveries, and conservation-related endeavors, Ryan enjoys exploring the relationship between people and the natural world. His passion for filmmaking was born when he moved to New Zealand to pursue his PhD at the University of Canterbury. Inspired by the beautiful scenery around him, he and his camera became regulars in the backcountry of the South Island. Since then, Ryan’s adventures have included swimming with humpback whales in Tonga, exploring the remote fjords of northern Norway, tracking mountain gorillas in the impenetrable forest of Uganda, and paragliding off of the world’s tallest freestanding mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. His first adventure documentary, Fly The Roof, won a People's Choice Award at the 2021 VIMFF. Ryan was a 2021 Jackson Wild Media Lab fellow and a 2021 Being Black in Canada filmmaker. www.ryanwilkes.com

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Director Statement

*Director's note*

A Feature cut of the film is available with a runtime of 52:01, this may also be submitted as a Feature Documentary.