Biography
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi is an American documentary filmmaker. She was the director, along with her husband, Jimmy Chin, for the film Free Solo, which won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The film profiled Alex Honnold and his free solo climb of El Capitan in June 2017. Their first scripted film venture was Nyad, a biopic chronicling Diana Nyad's quest to be the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida.
Vasarhelyi grew up in New York City, and is the daughter of Marina Vasarhelyi, a college administrator, and Miklós Vásárhelyi, a college professor. Her father is a Hungarian-born Brazilian and her mother is from Hong Kong. Vasarhelyi is a graduate of The Brearley School. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University.
Filmography
Cast Credits
Crew
Crew Credits
Love+War
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2025
Love+War
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2025
Lost in the Jungle
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2025
Lost in the Jungle
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2025
Endurance
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2024
Endurance
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2024
Photographer
Role: Executive Producer
TV • 2024
Photographer
Role: Director
TV • 2024
NYAD
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2023
Angel City
Role: Executive Producer
TV • 2023
Wild Life
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2023
Wild Life
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2023
Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin
Role: Executive Producer
TV • 2022
Return to Space
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2022
Return to Space
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2022
The Rescue
Role: Producer
MOVIE • 2021
The Rescue
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2021
Enhanced
Role: Director
TV • 2018
What if He Falls?
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2018
Free Solo
Role: Director
MOVIE • 2018