See How National Geographic’s ‘Endurance’ Intertwines Two Generations of the Greatest Antarctic Explorers

In the new National Geographic Documentary Films project “Endurance” a camera crew led by BAFTA nominee Natalie Hewit and Oscar-winning documentarian duo Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi follow antarctic expert John Shields as his team sets out to find the remains of the ship iconic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton sunk near Antarctica in 1915, leading to one of the greatest survival stories of all time.

In the exclusive clip above, obtained by IndieWire, Shields and his peers reveal the deeper connection between him and Shackleton, proving why he is the right man for the task at hand. “I think this is my 25th expedition to Antarctica. Going to Antarctica is very addictive,” said the explorer. “It’s something that once you’ve seen it, you’ve got this drive to always go back. And Shackleton, he also had this drive to go back to Antarctica.” 

Not only was Shields the head of logistics for the British Antarctic Survey, he received the Polar Medal from Queen Elizabeth II, which, in part, recognizes individuals who have withstood the rigors of the polar climate to make significant contributions to polar exploration and knowledge. It is an honor also bestowed upon Shackleton in his time.

Though Shackleton was clearly influential to Shields, his scientific pursuits more so stem from his grandmother’s interest in Antarctic exploration, and how he began to have the opportunities to travel that she unfortunately never got to have. “[She] was always wanting me and my two brothers to get experience of what the world might be like. And here I am, and I’ve been to the Arctic, to the Antarctic in the space of two generations,” said Shields.

“Endurance” simultaneously tells both the story of how Shackleton’s ship ended up in the bottom of the ocean, employing some recreation, and the live account of the perilous efforts taken to find the ship. On paper, it is already a shock to hear how Shackleton kept his crew of 27 men alive for over a year in the grueling, freezing conditions of Antarctica, especially thinking of how this was in 1915, but the film furthermore emphasizes the point of how miraculous a survival tale it was upon seeing the frigid pack ice still ready to make victim any ship trying to traverse through it.

To see more of the tale of two landmark expeditions ringing true to the name of the film, see the full clip of “Endurance” above. The film is now available to stream on Disney+.