Kon-Tiki: A Raft Across the Pacific

Set sail on an epic odyssey with Kon-Tiki, a spellbinding archival documentary that chronicles Thor Heyerdahl and five Scandinavian scientists as they brave 48 days adrift on the Pacific Ocean in 1947. Released in stunning 35mm by RKO Radio Pictures in 1951 and later distributed in both 16mm and 35mm by Irving Lesser Enterprises in 1964, this film captures their daring quest to prove an ancient theory: that Peruvians once crossed to Polynesia on balsawood rafts. The camera rides the waves with them aboard the Kon-Tiki—a hand-hewn replica of those prehistoric vessels—its logs lashed with hemp, its sail billowing against a horizon of endless blue. Watch as they launch from Peru’s coast, battling towering swells, shark-shadowed waters, and storms that test their makeshift craft, all to trace a migration lost to time. Through gritty footage and Heyerdahl’s own narration, the film unfolds their saga: sunburned faces peering at stars for navigation, hands hauling fish from the deep, and the triumphant sight of Polynesia’s shores after 4,300 miles. A blend of adventure and anthropology, it’s a testament to human grit and curiosity, preserved in mid-century cinematic glory. Archival Moments revives this seafaring legend—subscribe to explore more voyages from the tides of history!