Oscar-winning filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin are joined by co-director Juan Camilo Cruz for their new documentary, Lost in the Jungle. This is the first of two National Geographic documentaries that the Oscar-winning filmmakers are premiering during the 2025 festival season. They launched Endurance last year at the 2024 BFI London Film Festival and will be unspooling Love+War during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

When a plane crash leaves four siblings stranded in the depths of the Colombian rainforest, a harrowing rescue effort brings together Indigenous trackers and the military in a desperate race against time. The film exclusively recounts this extraordinary true story with firsthand accounts from both the children who survived and the teams who searched the Amazon for 40 long days and nights.

When the May 2023 crash happened, it became a global news story. Strangely, I don’t recall hearing about the four children who were lost in the jungle, probably because of watching baseball on TV. Perhaps it never surfaced in my social media feeds. In any event, Vasarhelyi, Chin, and Cruz saw a story compelling enough to make the subject of their next documentary. While Lost in the Jungle could easily be called the definitive account, the film is ultimately about more than survival—it’s about resilience, heritage, and human perseverance.

For the first time, the four siblings—members of the Indigenous Huitoto tribe—have their story told on screen. After losing their mother in the crash, they managed to endure 40 days and nights in the Amazon on their own. In a place where predators lurk at every turn, the fact that they survived being lost in the jungle at all is extraordinary.

At just 13 years old, Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy became both protector and guide for her younger siblings—Soleiny (9), Tien (5), and baby Cristin. Without her ancestral knowledge, their survival would have been nearly impossible. The filmmakers weave together animation, archival material, and filmed footage as Lesly opens up about the ordeal for the very first time.

The story also extends to the harrowing search and rescue mission that began after the crash site was discovered. With the adults confirmed dead and no sign of the children, it quickly became a race against time. Tensions simmered as Indigenous trackers and Colombian military officials distrusted one another, but as the days stretched into weeks, it meant that cooperation was no longer optional.

The directors approach the subject with great care. They brought on Indigenous consultants to ensure cultural accuracy, At the same time, Colombia child services, psychologists, and a psychotherapist were involved to safeguard the children during interviews. Bringing Lost in the Jungle to the screen meant honoring multiple perspectives in a way that was as respectful as it was truthful.

Much like how they filmed The Rescue, the filmmakers craft harrowing sequences that bring the search effort vividly to life. This time, however, instead of actors, they enlisted the actual trackers—grounding the film in authenticity and never pulling the audience out of the story.

In the end, Lost in the Jungle is as much about community and cultural knowledge as it is about survival against impossible odds.

DIRECTORS: Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Juan Camilo Cruz

Lost in the Jungle holds its world premiere during the 52nd Telluride Film Festival in the program. National Geographic will air the documentary on September 12, 2025, streaming next day on Disney+ and Hulu. Grade: 3.5/5

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