EXCLUSIVE: Nepali mountaineer Mingma Tsiri Sherpa is a legend in the climbing community – the first person from his country, and the first South Asian, to summit all 14 of the planet’s “eight thousanders” – the peaks that extend above 8,000 meters, or 26,247 feet.
Why, then, would such a gifted athlete and climber retire after summiting Mount Everest 16 times? The answer can be found in the documentary Everest Dark, making its world premiere on Saturday at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. We have your first look at the film, directed by Jereme Watt, in the trailer above.
“Revered in Nepal as a national hero, Mingma Tsiri Sherpa stands among the best high-altitude climbers of all time; however, after a series of deadly disasters and a prophetic dream warning him to never climb again in Nepal and on Everest, he retired from climbing,” notes a description of the film. “A deeply spiritual man, Mingma became convinced that earthquakes and avalanches were the direct result of Everest expeditions disrespecting the mountain by abandoning their litter and their dead.”
Saying, “The mountain is angry,” Mingma is compelled “to complete one last mission to retrieve the body of a fallen climber in order to appease the sacred mountain gods.”
Photo by Kyle Sands
Everest Dark is executive produced by Oscar nominee Ina Fichman (Fire of Love), Merit Jensen Carr, Jereme Watt, and Michael Bodnarchuk. Producers are Merit Jensen Carr, Jereme Watt, and Michael Bodnarchuk. Watt and Michael Bodnarchuk wrote the film.
“Mingma graciously welcomed me into his family, trusting me to focus my lens on him as we journeyed through the Himalayan mountain ranges from Kathmandu to the small, remote village in Rowaling where he grew up,” Watt said in a statement. “I am honored to tell this story and at how much the Sherpa have embraced a climbing film featuring one of their own as the hero. Mingma’s humility reflects what is most important to them: not world records, but rather doing what is right for the land they worship.”
Adds Merit Jensen Carr of Merit Motion Pictures, “All of us at Merit Motion Pictures are thrilled to share Everest Dark and Mingma’s story with audiences at CPH-DOX. Mt Everest is one of the most iconic examples of how our society dominates nature and I am honored to help Mingma share his message that nature is sacred and should be respected.”
“Everest Dark is a feat in filmmaking realized by an incredible crew and an elite team of Sherpas who risk their lives to find abandoned bodies left in Everest,” commented Fichman. “I am so grateful to all of our collaborators, on and offscreen, all of whom brought their creative vision, expertise and courage to film this story in freezing and dangerous conditions. And, now I am very excited to share this film at CPH:DOX.”
Autlook Filmsales is handling sales of the documentary. “Mingma’s journey shines a light on the often ignored cost of Everest’s allure, not just for climbers, but for the Sherpa communities who have carried its legacy for generations,” observed Stephanie Fuchs, CEO Autlook Filmsales. “It’s a gripping and urgent story that should resonate with audiences globally, with its breathtaking, high-altitude cinematography that captures both the mountain’s grandeur and the harsh realities faced by the Sherpas.”
Everest Dark is an Intuitive Pictures and Merit Motion Pictures production. Cinematography is by Kyle Sandilands, with music by Colin Aguiar. Al Flett and Joni Church edited the film. Elia Saikaly and Scott Simper worked as high-altitude shooters on the film.
The documentary debuts in the festival’s Special Premieres section. In addition to Saturday’s world premiere, it will screen on March 25 and March 29.
CPH programmers described Everest Dark as “a visually stunning film from Mount Everest, but from an overlooked angle – the local one. Mingma’s mission is a dizzying adrenaline rush enough to give anyone an acute fear of heights – but the angle is different, deeper and richer than in any other film from the spectacular mountain.”
Watch the trailer above.
Content shared from deadline.com.