Subterranean – Hot Docs 2023

Two teams of cavers set out to break the records for the longest and deepest caves in Canada in Subterranean. Two groups of hobbyist cavers are on the verge of breaking two major records. Katie Graham and her team explore the Bisaro Anima cave in the Rocky Mountains, only 0.5 metres away from being declared the deepest cave in Canada. On Vancouver Island, Franck Tuot and his team hope to find connections between the three caves of the ARGO system for it to be declared the longest cave in Canada.

Subterranean Synopsis

Subterranean is a documentary directed by Francois-Xavier De Ruydts about two simultaneous attempts to break caving records in Canada. The team led by Katie Graham has the easier task of having Bisaro Anima declared the deepest cave in Canada, though she has to deal with cold temperatures, broken limbs, and a flooded sump at the bottom. Elsewhere, Franck Tuot has to deal with mazes of tunnels, muddy passages, and a ticking clock to connect the ARGO system of the Arch, Resonance, and Glory'Ole caves as the longest cave in Canada.

My Thoughts on Subterranean

Subterranean is probably the closest someone can get to the experience of spelunking without the claustrophobia of crawling through tight passages or the inconvenience of “camping in a refrigerator on a bed of boulders.” The cavers featured in the film range from dedicated hobbyists like Katie Graham or veterans like Peter Curtis, the latter of whom once participated in a recording of caving songs. Caves are one of the final true frontiers remaining on the planet and Subterranean lets you meet some people whose passion is to crawl into the deepest and darkest places on Earth.

Trailer for Subterranean – Hot Docs 2023