Cowboys of the Sky

Cowboys of the Sky explores the world of the American ironworker. Perched 1300 ft. above Chicago, a 72 year-old man balances on a steel spire as a helicopter toting a four-ton column of steel hovers above his head. Battling the frigid air of Chicago's winter morning Ironworker John Rukavina reaches out to a surging electrified cable, and strategically guides the steel into place. Once the last pinnacle piece is placed, Rukavina climbs atop the newly erected swaying steel spire, and upon tradition, proudly stands waving the American flag.

Through John’s fifty plus-year career as an ironworker he has been involved in over 20 major antenna installations. He has seen the world and the world of ironworking change. Ironworkers are becoming a dying breed in an evolving world. This personal portrait delivers a rare look at ironworking and the heart and soul that goes into building skylines.