mountaineering is a bit of a mini-theme at nziff this year
last night - sherpa - set on mount everest and quite political
not so much about the mountain or the fequent conquering of it
but more on the changing attitude to and of the essesntial sherpa
however this film seems to offer more focus on the actual sport
the main man - conrad anker seen at home in the united states
(and me slightly disappointed - oh no - another american hero)
interviews with him and his wife talking about the love of climbing
jimmy chin also introduced - born in america to chinese immigrants
they having fled mao's china to offer their two kids a better future
renan ozturk is shown like a spiderman on crazy-angled peaks
the 3 of them planning an ascent of previously unconquered meru
time taken in the film to describe the near impossibility of the climb
this is as pure mountain-climbing on a virgin peak with no guides
many have attempted the climb and many have died as a result
the peak of the mountain atop a straight up 1500 foot rock wall
the climbers seen talking reverentially about the skills needed here
snow, ice, rock and angles requiring the climbers to be total experts
they must also carry all equipment,clothing, tents and 7 days food
jimmy chin and renan ozturk are also professional film makers
so they also are carrying slr cameras and helmet-fixed film cameras
even before they start i am in awe of what they have committed to
more so as they head up and show the construction of their bedding
a tent strung vertically off a cliff with the 3 of them huddled inside
a raging blizzard outside but inside it's all happiness and humour
the close proximity of the cameras making us feel part of the gang
more so as we ascend with the climbers and look on in total awe
below - a sheer drop - above - an endless wall of ice and rock
we get within a few hundred feet of the peak late one afternoon
but lack of food, weather, exhaustion, and frostbite are factors
the brave decision is made to abandon the climb and descend
and with it part 2 of the film kicks in as the 3 climbers disperse
renan ozturk has a serious skiing accident and fractures his skull
cracked vertebrae also and life-threatening brain surgery required
jimmy chin gets caught up but miraculously survives an avalanche
psychologically damaging though and he abandons mountain-climbing
conrad anker has his own demons with the death of climbing buddies
in particular alex lowe also killed in an avalanche many years prior
the two of them regarded as the best climbing team in the world
alex a mentor to conrad and conrad now husband to alex's wife
and father to alex's 3 children - this shown with all due respect
meru nags away at conrad and he decides to have another crack
jimmy is up for it and surprisingly renan demands he be part of it
this 5 months after his near-death experience and long recovery
and so before long we are back on the mountain with our 3 friends
weather is against them and many days lost sitting it out in their tent
but so impressively they push, and push, and push with little food
brain-injured renan is seen with symptoms of frostbite and stroke
absolutely spine-chilling scenes especially when jimmy hits the top
the presence of mind to film the occasion as they all reach the peak
totally exhilarating - what a film - i'm feeling completely redeemed
nothing but total respect for the climbers we now know so well
eddie vedder's the wolf heard in the film and now in my head
happy - that tune from the eqaully amazing film into the wild
sherpa - good - meru - mind-blowing - unbeatable i suspect...
