Francis Luta directed a once-in-a-lifetime documentary in collaboration with explorer, Adam Shoalts. In this interview, he talks about the challenges of filming Alone Across the Artic and how he became a filmmaker. Read more below!

Hi Francis, thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! Your documentary, Alone Across the Arctic, looks gorgeous and incredibly intense at the same time. How did you get involved with explorer, Adam Shoalts and what inspired you to film his journey?

Thank you. I made a short film with Adam back in 2015 entitled Explorer where I basically introduce him as this modern day explorer. I went camping with him where we shot tons of b-roll showcasing his survival skills. I didn’t really think anything would come out of making the short up until he invited me to make a film about his next expedition. You don’t get an invite like that every day, so I said Yes! with wide eyes and creative wheels turning without fully grasping the enormity of the project. What’s most inspiring for me is his level of focus and dedication to his craft. I respect what he does because he does it so well, so even-keeled and so logistical. I got sucked into it and to this day I carry that same level of focus and dedication to what I do best. It’s the kind of expedition that can only happen once and we captured it.