AFTER ANTARCTICA
After Antarctica is an award winning feature-length documentary directed by Tasha Van Zandt that follows renowned polar explorer Will Steger’s life journey as an eyewitness to the greatest changes in the polar regions of our planet. Now, thirty years after his historic coast-to-coast expedition across the coldest continent on Earth, Steger is not only known for being the first in history to complete this historic feat – he is also the last.
“A powerful documentary. Incredibly inspiring. A reminder that passion, creativity and tenacity build the muscle of hope.”
— Veronica Chambers, The New York Times
“A melted drop in Antarctica ripples throughout the rest of the world.”
After Antarctica offers an intimate portrait of Will Steger, a trailblazer who overcame all odds to become one of the world’s most accomplished polar explorers. Through the use of never-before-seen archival footage, we follow Steger’s historic 1989 traverse across Antarctica, which was the longest crossing of the continent in history. His mission at the time was to use the expedition as a tool to reinstate the Antarctic Treaty.
However, in the decades following the completion of the expedition, the three ice shelves the team crossed have disintegrated, leaving Steger and his team not only the first to achieve this historic feat, but also the last.
Now, Steger enters a new chapter as he comes to the realization that the legacy he has fought to preserve has begun to melt away. As the debate on the urgency of climate change polarizes the world and the intensity of natural disasters increases, Steger faces our own mortality alongside that of the planet.
"After Antarctica awes with its images of stark and stunning Arctic and Antarctic landscapes."
— The Boston Globe
“A trailblazing adventurer. It is likely that no one has more first-hand experience in the Arctic and Antarctic. Who better to be a witness than Will Steger?”
— The Guardian
“What begins as a character study becomes a call to arms in an age of escalating climate change debates.”
— Indie Wire
“Gripping documentary. An alarming look at what climate change is doing to Earth. “Antarctica,” achieves both its ends with skill and thoughtfulness."
— Mercury News
“A witness to change in the arctic.”
— The Associated Press
“Expanding across both poles.”
— Filmmaker magazine
“A Minnesota Icon. True north is adventurer Will Steger's truth every day.”
— Star Tribune
"Exhilarating. Captivating."
— The Boulder Daily Camera
“A wake-up call.”
— Mpls St. Paul Magazine
“A timely film that will put into perspective how crucial the seventh continent is to our eco-balance."
— The Fauquier Times
“Immerses us in the stunning beauty of the icy antipodes of our planet while providing a potent cautionary tale of the ravages of climate change… Impeccably crafted film of both nail-biting suspense and meditative appreciation for the riches of nature"
— SFFILM
"One of the best world premieres of this year’s festival." -
— The Daily Californian
"Beautifully filmed, smoothly paced and intimately detailed. Van Zandt captures the raw, desolate beauty of the north and the agony of expedition, while teasing out rarely seen emotions and quirks of a well-known personality."
— Men’s Journal
"Equal part nature documentary and survival epic, Tasha Van Zandt’s feature debut is on par with the work of John Carpenter and Werner Herzog in the rare canon of Antarctic cinema. "
— Martlet
"A riveting documentary. Raw and thought provoking. The story, the realness, the timeliness, the rawness held me captive to the last minute.“After Antarctica” left me with a new respect for people who are willing to fight for our world. It’s a must see."
— The Newport Beach Independent
“Thirty years after leading the first-ever coast-to-coast expedition across the frigid continent to bring attention to climate change, renowned explorer Will Steger recalls that thrilling adventure.”
— Variety
“Tasha Van Zandt’s After Antarctica, recalls an expedition across the frigid continent.”
— Hollywood Reporter