Echoes of the Pole
North Pole ’85 is the working title of a new documentary now in production. A film that unearths one of the last great untold stories of 20th-century exploration. In the spring of 1985, two legends; Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon and Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to summit Everest embarked together on a quiet expedition to the North Pole. No press. No fanfare. Just a journey of spirit, grit and curiosity. For nearly forty years, this remarkable voyage remained virtually unknown, kept deliberately out of the spotlight at Armstrong’s request.
In a powerful and emotional return to the top of the world, the next generation of the Armstrong and Hillary families will retrace their fathers’ footsteps along with original team members from 1985. This project is more than a film. It is a voyage across the High Arctic and through time itself. A meditation on legacy, wonder and the unyielding human drive to explore. Featuring candid interviews with the explorers’ descendants and filmed against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of the polar ice, this documentary is a tribute to the past and a wake up call for the future of our fragile planet.
We invite you to become part of this journey - Explore the options here
Orly Orlyson
Dedicated to share the stories of legendary explorers and historic expeditions
Born in Húsavík, Iceland, in 1983, Orly Orlyson is a filmmaker and director of The Exploration Museum, dedicated to sharing the stories of legendary explorers and historic expeditions.
He has led multiple field expeditions with Apollo astronauts, highlighting Iceland’s connection to the Moon landings, and is a member of The Explorers Club, an institution at the heart of global exploration.
Orly co-directed the documentary Cosmic Birth (2019) with filmmaker Rafnar Orri Gunnarsson. This film will be the third documentary collaboration between Orly and Rafnar. As a filmmaker and producer, Orly worked with Red Bull to capture Ryōyū Kobayashi’s world-record 291 meter ski jump in April 2024. In 2021, Orly orchestrated the Oscar campaign that earned the song "Húsavík" from Netflix’s Eurovision Fire Saga an Academy Award nomination. Orly’s campaign generated over 400 media features across TV, radio, and print. Following the success of his campaign, Orly was asked by Netflix to produce the song’s live performance for the Oscars® broadcast on ABC. He has worked as a producer on international projects for BBC Studios and Iceland’s RÚV.
Orly was selected by the U.S. Department of State for the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders program in 2018, recognized as one of
Iceland’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons by JCI, and has served as President of the Húsavík town council and director of Visit Húsavík. A sought-after public speaker, Orly has given talks at The Explorers Club in New York, at universities in the US and Europe, on cruise ships with Oceanwide Expeditions and Celebrity Cruises, and international festivals, bringing the stories of exploration, adventure, and history to audiences worldwide.
Support the production
For more information about the project and ways to support, we invite you to connect with us at orly@northpole85.com
Let’s explore together how you can be part of bringing this story to life.
