The True Story Of Rooftoppers Ivan Beerkus & Angela Nikolau

Summary Explore rooftopping through the eyes of lovebirds Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus in "Skywalkers: A Love Story."

Witness their risky climbs and deep connection, showcasing not just athleticism, but also their bond and passion.

Follow the couple's journey to the top of buildings worldwide, showcasing their dedication to their art form.

Skywalkers: A Love Story is a Netflix documentary focused on the true story of Russian rooftopper couple Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau. The film, which is one of Netflix's best movies of 2024, is partially about two people who have enjoyed the cultural phenomenon of "rooftopping," or illegally climbing buildings, their entire lives. Rooftopping appeals to people who enjoy taking extreme risks, and the movie allows viewers to vicariously experience it through breathtaking shots and access to Beerkus and Nikolau's thoughts.

Although Beerkus and Nikolau contributed drone footage of their climbing expeditions that will satisfy people searching for action series on Netflix, the documentary is far more than a chronicle of the couple's adventures. For Beerkus and Nikolau, climbing is an art form that reflects their desire to live their lives fully. The documentary tells the story of how this extraordinary couple fell in love and celebrate life together through their dedication to climbing; the couple's climbs cannot be separated from their personalities or their relationship with each other.

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Ivan Beerkus & Angela Nikolau Are Famous Rooftoppers

Beerkus Got Nikolau's Attention When He Was Climbing Buildings In Moscow

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Beerkus and Nikolau are both Moscow-born climbers who have been engaging in the activity since they were teenagers, with Nikolau's background as a circus acrobat coming in handy as they climb buildings together. Beerkus got media attention before he and Nikolau met; in 2014, Nikolau followed his Instagram account where he was documenting the Stalin-era buildings he was climbing in Russia. Although she was not yet famous, Nikolau was also climbing buildings on her own during this period. She and Nikolau first connected online before beginning to climb buildings together.

Angela Nikolau is the first woman to participate in rooftopping as an art form.

The couple risks not only their safety, but also their freedom to scale buildings, as most of what they do is illegal. They take such extreme risks that critics often accuse them of putting fake footage on Instagram, a charge which they consistently deny. Skywalkers: A Love Story is one of Netflix's best documentaries because the crew accompanied them on dangerous and illegal climbs, often using drone footage provided by the climbers themselves, which adds to the intensity and immersion of the viewing.

How Long Ivan Beerkus & Angela Nikolau Have Been Together

They Fell In Love During a Dangerous Climb In 2016

In 2016, Beerkus invited Nikolau to join him on a climb in Hong Kong. At the time, he wasn't intending to have a romantic relationship with her; he needed a female climber as part of a sponsorship deal. However, while the couple was in Hong Kong together, they went out during a typhoon to look at rooftops and Nikolau fell for him during this risky activity. Soon afterward, they scaled several buildings in Hong Kong; each new adventure helped their new relationship to grow.

As of 2024, the couple is still together and has weathered many storms related to world events. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the loss of social media in their home country forced them to flee, and they lost income and sponsorship opportunities due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. This led to their most risky climb in 2022, as they desperately needed the money to survive. The couple currently lives together in New York City where they are pursuing new rooftopping collaborations as well as other types of art.

Ivan Beerkus & Angela Nikolau's Malaysia’s Merdeka 118 Skyscraper Climb Explained

The Couple Hid In The Building For 30 Hours To Avoid Arrest

Skywalkers: A Love Story spends a lot of time on the 2022 Merdeka climb, which was one of the riskiest climbs Nikolau and Beerkus participated in over their career. This climb was extremely dangerous. The skyscraper was 2,200 feet tall, so any accident would be fatal, especially since the rooftoppers weren't using safety equipment. The film depicts Nikolau having a panic attack while training for this climb and completely freezing, which underscores the danger the couple faced.

Once they began the climb, the couple faced another type of danger: the potential loss of their freedom. They meticulously planned the climb, using drones to help them map it out, and decided to do it on the night of the World Cup because they thought security would be distracted. The Netflix crew wired them for sound before they began the climb, and at first all went according to plan. However, the couple decided to take a break until sunrise while halfway up, which was a nearly fatal flaw in their plan.

Nikolau and Beerkus awakened at sunrise to discover they were sharing the floor they had sneaked onto with a construction crew. They had to hide to avoid detection and didn't know how they would survive, as it was hot and the building was dusty from the construction. The pair hid for 30 hours but had to risk going out into the open to get some water. Eventually, they made it to floor 188, where posters warning them about the arrests of previous climbers sparked their determination to make it to the top of the building.

Beerkus attached the video footage to drones and flew it down so that if the couple were arrested before they got back on the ground, the crew would not lose the footage.

Other Notable Buildings & Structures The Skywalkers Couple Have Climbed

The Pair Has Climbed Buildings All Over The World

Between 2016 and 2022, Nikolau and Beerkus climbed many tall buildings that got them the type of media attention that led to Netflix giving them a green light for their documentary. Their relationship began when they climbed Goldin Finance Tower 117 in China. They have climbed several other buildings in China, most notably the Ping An Financial Centre. They have also climbed several buildings in Paris, including the Sainte-Clotide. They also attempted to climb the Notre Dame, but were arrested on the way down and held in a cell overnight, which is documented in the film.

This focus on authenticity sets Nikolau and Beerkus apart from other rooftoppers, especially those who take risks for the sake of it rather than planning meticulously so that they can create art while illegally perched on the top of tall buildings.

Skywalkers: A Love Story depicts both the failures and successes of the couple's life as rooftoppers. It also provides an authentic look at their relationship, including Nikolau's trust issues in general and arguments and bickering between the couple during their climbs and at other times in their lives. This focus on authenticity sets Nikolau and Beerkus apart from other rooftoppers, especially those who take risks for the sake of it rather than planning meticulously so that they can create art while illegally perched on the top of tall buildings.