EXCLUSIVE: Wild State, the production company founded by Chris Hemsworth and Ben Grayson, is in for the long haul on the ultra marathon-themed documentary Learning to Fly.

The company announced it’s boarding the feature directed by Max Lowe ahead of the film’s theatrical release, set to begin August 21 at Angelika Film Center in New York City and Laemmle Monica Film Center in Los Angeles. The documentary, from Unreasonable Studios, follows “the story of former competitive runner turned photographer Aisha McAdams – and her journey back to herself through the world of elite ultra marathon running.”

The film is produced by Oscar winner Evan Hayes (Free Solo), Katy Chevigny (Dick Johnson Is Dead), and Ayesha Rokadia (Deli Boys). Wild State’s Ben Grayson, Kevin Joseph, and Andy Mininger serve as executive producers.

We have your first look at Learning to Fly in the exclusive trailer below.

“Learning to Fly sits exactly at the intersection of what Wild State was built to champion,” noted EP Kevin Joseph. “The film perfectly embodies our belief in documenting what it takes to pursue your passions – whether on the ultra-marathon trail, or just getting outside for a run in your neighborhood.”

Learning to Fly premiered at last year’s Telluride Film Festival, where Lowe also unveiled his previous feature documentary, 2021’s Torn. After its theatrical run, the film will launch globally on Amazon Prime Video.

In the documentary, Aisha McAdams uses her photographic skills to capture ultra endurance athletes including Jim Walmsley, Rod Farvard, and Eszter Csillag as they compete at the Western States Endurance Run in the mountains of Eastern California and the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) in the French Alps. “Running had given Aisha a sense of freedom, joy, and belonging as a young person – before trauma and mental health challenges forced her to walk away from the sport she loved,” reads a synopsis. “Immersed now in the world of these elite athletes, she begins to wonder whether she might find her way back. Her answer is to enter an ultra-marathon of her own.”

The synopsis continues, “The film’s emotional throughline is resilience – Aisha’s, and that of her subjects. It is a film about what it takes to believe in yourself again after you’ve been broken, and its answer arrives in a coda that is worth the wait.”

In a statement, producer Evan Hayes commented, “Every athlete I’ve ever made a film with – Alex Honnold free soloing El Capitan, the ultra-runners at Western States and UTMB – when you ask them why, the answer is almost always the same: the sport was there for them when they needed it most. That’s what Learning to Fly is about – mental health, resilience, belonging, and the community that forms around chasing something that pushes you to your limit. Ad what makes this film special is that running is accessible in a way that free soloing El Cap simply isn’t. Anyone can lace up their shoes and go.”

Learning to Fly is presented by Unreasonable Studios; an Anomaly Content & Entertainment production in association with Big Mouth Productions and Wild State. Max Lowe directs and executive produces. Jessica Congdon edited the film; Jenni Morello is the director of photography. Tyler Strickland composed the score.

Along with Lowe and Wild State’s Ben Grayson, Kevin Joseph, and Andy Mininger, executive producers include Justin Baroca, Chad Moore, Erika Gabrielli, Robin Green, and Stefano Caroti.

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