Inspired by the Monarch Butterfly migration, one man attempts to paraglide from Mexico to Canada, and to complete the first ever non-motorized flight across the United States of America.
Contact & Film Info.The Above + Beyond Documentary Society presents:
A documentary by: Benjamin Jordan
"Fly Monarca"
(76 min)
Colour | 1080p | 16:9 | Stereo | Canada | 2021
English
MEDIA CONTACT
Lyndsay Nicole
Above + Beyond Documentary Society
lyndsay@aboveandbeyonddocumentary.com
+1 888 205 1687
USEFUL LINKS
Official Website: https://flymonarca.com
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/benjaminjordan/flymonarca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benjaminjordanadventure
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjaminjordanadventure
Director Website: https://benjaminjordan.com
Synopsis
SYNOPSIS: The Monarch is the worlds furthest migrating butterfly. Between Mexico and Canada, the paper-thin pilots navigate a record breaking distance with a pin point precision that baffles science to this day. How do they do it? What secrets do they hold? Last summer, a paraglider pilot risked everything to crack the code.
Follow record breaking pilot, Benjamin Jordan as he dares attempt the holy grail of paraglider expeditions; an unbroken line from Mexico to Canada and the first ever sequence of non-motorized flights across the United States of America.
TAGLINE: The butterflies hold the secret.
Press Releases
(expedition release below)
Canadian man paraglides record-breaking, 2835 km monarch butterfly route, releases film.
Nov 22, 2021 - Nelson, BC - Over 150-days, Canadian athlete, Benjamin Jordan, 41, recently executed a world-record breaking paraglider journey and the first ever traverse of the United States (Mexico to Canada) by unmotorized aircraft.
Inspired by the incredible monarch butterfly migration, which flies between Mexico and Canada every year, but is threatened by climate change, Jordan is bringing attention to this iconic, yet endangered species with the release of his new film, Fly Monarca.
From a lonely, tall fence lining the the US/Mexico border, Jordan set off on a self-propelled journey many had considered impossible. From a mountain just one kilometre north of the border, he began flying the natural air currents, just as monarchs do, carrying all of his own food, water and camping equipment until he reached the US/Canada border five months later.
Well known for creating captivating documentaries all on his own, Jordan had the benefit of having his girlfriend, Lyndsay Nicole, 39, follow his every move, both on the ground and via drone in the sky. The result is a stunning and vulnerable account of two partners plunging into the unknown and growing stronger as they do.
Trailer, Photography, Map and Download: https://flymonarca.com
ABOUT BENJAMIN JORDAN:
Benjamin is Canada's only professional paraglider pilot, has released an array of award winning documentaries and has several world records under his belt. Having begun his career as a fashion and advertising photographer in Toronto back in 2001, Jordan eventually grew tired of the vanity and rode his skateboard 5000 km to British Columbia. Falling in love with the mountains, he remained out west, built a winterized cabin within a school bus, and found creative ways to offer "authentic advertising" opportunities to clients within his framework of his record-breaking expeditions.
###
CONTACT:
Lyndsay Nicole
Media / Public Relations
lyndsay@benjaminjordan.com
1 250 777 8245
Nov 25, 2020 - Nelson, BC, Canada - Inspired by the incredible migration of the Monarch butterfly, over the spring and summer of 2020, Benjamin Jordan became the first person to paraglide from Mexico to Canada, setting a new World Distance Record and completing the first ever un-powered paraglider journey across the United States.
Monarchs are the world's furthest migrating butterfly. Over four generations, they fly all the way from Mexico to Canada and back, completing the 7000 km round-trip each year. Exactly how they manage to find the exact same overwintering site that their ancestors overwintered on the previous year, remains a mystery to scientists to this very day.
Due to industrial farming and climate change, over the last 20 years, the Monarch population has dwindled to just 2.3% and, as their existence becomes more threatened by extinction, Jordan felt compelled to raise awareness around this phenomenal invertebrate.
Just like the Monarch, Benjamin's remarkable journey was completed without using fuel or power of any kind, but by simply relying on his understanding of the natural world and the weather systems as they pass. Over Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and Montana, Jordan climbed his way to the clouds using thermals then flew onward, at times covering more than 100 km in a single flight.
Jordan is now hard at work, producing his next documentary film "Fly Monarca" about the journey and how it parallels that of the marvellous Monarch. His goal is to help the general public become aware of the challenges they face and the simple steps they can take to help the Monarch butterfly thrive again.
The above map, hand-illustrated by Jordan, depitcs each flight (red) and portion which had to be walked (green) of the World Record, 2835km journey.
Media Contact: Lyndsay Nicole - lyndsay@benjaminjordan.com
The Making Of
Authenticity being paramount, Lyndsay's intimate, interview style has broadened the depth of Jordan's traditional vlogs and her turning the camera on herself from time to time allows the audience to relate to his fringe, expedition style like never before.
Together, the pair spent 5 months alone in the American wilderness, at times not seeing each other for days, but never losing focused on their ambitious goals of breaking records, saving Monarchs and making an inspiring film. After another 7 months of editing their feature length documentary, Fly Monarca is finally ready to soar.
Director Biography:
He remained out West and has since focused all of his energy into partnering with sponsors, to produce documentaries and publicity, through his unique brand of inspirational and philanthropic adventures.
Prior to completing his record-breaking paraglider voyage from Mexico to Canada last summer, he and his partner, Lyndsay Nicole were spending time in Malawi, creating the infrastructure needed for the country's first Paragliding School: The School of Dreams.
Filmography:
Fly Monarca (2021)
The Endless Chain (2019)
Strong The Wind Blows (2017)
The Race of My Life (2015)
The Boy Who Flies (2013)
A Canadian Dream (2010)
The Endless Chain (2019)
Strong The Wind Blows (2017)
The Race of My Life (2015)
The Boy Who Flies (2013)
A Canadian Dream (2010)
Projects:
Monarca Expedition (2020)
The Endless Chain (2018)
XBC (Cross-B.C.) (2016)
The School of Dreams (2012-Current)
The Boy Who Flies (2011)
Above + Beyond Canada (2009)
Above + Beyond B.C. (2008)
Push For The Cure (2006)
The Endless Chain (2018)
XBC (Cross-B.C.) (2016)
The School of Dreams (2012-Current)
The Boy Who Flies (2011)
Above + Beyond Canada (2009)
Above + Beyond B.C. (2008)
Push For The Cure (2006)
Private Screener:
For access, please email lyndsay@aboveandbeyonddocumentary.com
Film Stills & Artwork:
Click (normal, not right) on an image to load high-resolution in a new tab. Click here for corresponding Captions and Photo Credit data.
