Synopsis

In the documentary series RISE – Into the Heart of Nepal’s Sacred Forests, extreme sports adventurer and scientist Nicolas Plain explores remote regions of the world with his paraglider, seeking innovative solutions to climate change that could be applied in France. In this first episode, Nicolas travels to Nepal’s lush forests to meet the Bagedada community, part of the nation’s forest groups that have driven large-scale reforestation since the 1990s. By paragliding over the forests and engaging with local leaders, he uncovers how they blend ancestral knowledge with modern technology for sustainable forest management. Back in the Briançon mountains of France, Nicolas reflects on how these methods could inspire sustainable forest practices at home, potentially creating France’s first forest community. Combining aerial adventures and inspiring encounters, the film offers a fresh, hopeful perspective on ecology and our connection to nature.