Stormbound Heads to SXSW and CPH:DOX with Thrilling Action and Intense Moments

EXCLUSIVE: Ominous clouds are converging on SXSW and CPH:DOX, not from overhead but on the silver screen.

The IMAX documentary Stormbound, featuring storm chaser Jeff Gammons, will make its world premiere this Saturday at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. Following this, it will have its international debut next week at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. The film is directed by Miko Lim, who co-produced it alongside Oscar winner Adam McKay, Trevor Jones, Todd Schulman, and John Turner.

Stormbound offers a gripping look into the life of Gammons, who has dedicated over three decades to closely documenting major hurricanes that impact the United States. Faced with a near-fatal illness, he continues his pursuit, shedding light on both the personal costs of storm chasing and broader environmental issues. A summary notes, “As wind, water, and land collide, Stormbound is a high-stakes, immersive experience that places audiences face-to-face with nature at its most powerful.”

In addition to the premiere, the documentary will screen on Sunday at the Bullock Texas State History Museum and again on Monday and Wednesday at the Alamo Lamar.

In Copenhagen, the international premiere is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, with additional screenings on March 20 and 21.

While Gammons has faced numerous threats while storm chasing, his most significant challenges have stemmed from serious health issues. In a director’s statement, Lim wrote, “From the moment [Gammons] was born, his own body has been trying to kill him.” Gammons, now 47, has endured spinal cancer, paralysis, two kidney transplants, open-heart surgery, and a host of painful treatments. Lim points out that mental battles often accompany such severe medical conditions.

Despite these challenges, Gammons remains optimistic, thanks in part to his supportive wife, Sara, who joins him in storm chasing. Lim emphasizes their work highlights the beauty of storms, stating, “Jeff and Sara’s visual art is inspiring, not threatening.” Gammons has faced life-threatening incidents while pursuing storms, including being swept out to sea and enduring multiple near-death experiences.

Lim highlights the documentary’s emotional depth, noting, “Featuring unseen footage of Hurricanes Katrina, Idalia, and Charley, as well as unbelievable up-close encounters of tornadoes, Stormbound enters not just the world of storms, but the world of feelings.” Gammons reflects, “Hurricanes are the circle of life; they destroy, but they heal at the same time… and they heal me too.”

Stormbound is an IMAX documentary presentation produced by Hyperobject Industries in association with Anagram Pictures. The film features cinematography by Richard Hama and editing by Leslie Jones, Miko Lim, and Nick Pezzillo, with a score composed by Colin Stetson.

In an upcoming clip, Gammons captures the intensity of a hurricane, stating, “This marina’s getting thrashed,” a commentary that equally applies to his own experience.