Bridging The Ice: The Story of Gino Watkins

Bridging The Ice is a documentary based on the life and work of British explorer Gino Watkins, leader of the British Arctic Air Route Expedition and recipient of the Polar Medal from King George V.

Watch the trailer here: bridgingtheicedoc

We are planning an expedition to obtain present day footage of Greenland and it’s people. This material will complete a documentary consisting of archive film from the original expedition and interviews, already filmed with descendants of the expedition and experts in polar exploration.

Many books have been written about Gino’s life but no documentary currently exists. He had an irregular and fascinating path to become one of the youngest Polar expedition leaders in history, his life and work will serve as inspiration to young people all over the world.

At the time of his death, Gino Watkins was a famed explorer who received international accolades from his expeditions, most notably the British Arctic Air Route Expedition (BAARE). The BAARE took place in 1930 and set out to pioneer an air route from England to America by mapping the East coast of Greenland and testing flying conditions over it’s hostile ice cap.

Tragically, due to his early passing, many of his achievements have been lost to the history books. “Bridging The Ice” will bring his story to the 21st century and back into the forefront of people's minds.

We will be supporting two charities that are close to our family and to the project - the British Heart Foundation and The Arctic Ice Project.