A good documentary will show you a world beyond your own. A great one engulfs you in it, essentially transporting you into the story as if you are a witness rather than an audience member. If you are eager to experience this spectator’s adrenaline rush, look no further than The Last First: Winter K2. Emotionally charged and chilling, director Amir Bar-Lev weaves a complex tapestry of ambition, greed, and tragedy within the world of extreme mountaineering.

Risking it All For A Shot at Glory

K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, reaching well over 28,000 feet. Its height makes it quite a feat to summit, let alone the extreme weather conditions that make any attempt a deadly gamble. Mother Nature is not messing around: Winds exceed 80 mph, temperatures can drop to -70°F at night, and unpredictable avalanches are a threat even to the most skilled alpinist. It’s for these reasons that, prior to 2021, reaching the top of K2 in winter was the last mountaineering challenge that remained. It was the last first.

The Last First: Winter K2 follows the journey of Icelandic climber John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Pakistani father-son climbing duo Ali and Sajid Sadpara as they attempt to become the first team to summit K2 in winter. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity promises worldwide fame and notoriety for both the climbers and their country. Equally, the attempt carries a high risk of injury or death. By nature, extreme athletes tend to be braver (and more delusional) than the average person, so even the risk of death was not a deterrent for the trio.

However, the climb becomes complicated when celebrity Nepalese mountaineer Nims Purja and his elite team of Sherpas swoop in unannounced, also setting their sights on K2’s peak. Not only is Nims’ presence a distraction, but a commercialized expedition company also arrives with influencer climbers and their film crews. The race to be first is on, but distractions give way to grave mistakes that turn an already treacherous ascent into a deadly climb.

A Peaceful Place for an Extreme Alpinist to Find Eternal Rest

Make no mistake, this is a difficult film to watch. Even if you know how the story ends, it doesn’t make the viewing any less heartbreaking. Filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev balances this emotional weight with interviews from the surviving climbers, who all seem eager to finally share their side of the story. Despite the competing egos, class, and caste systems at play, it is beautiful to see the surviving climbers put their differences aside and allow their compassionate sides to peek through. In a sport that prioritizes competition over teamwork, this is a rare sight.

Capturing their stories in stunning detail is cinematographer Will Pugh, who uses the mountain as his backdrop. Through his lens, we can sense a sacredness that permeates K2, making it an eerie yet ultimately peaceful place for an extreme alpinist to find eternal rest.

Takeaway

For fans of Free Solo and The Dark Wizard, you’ll find a similar thrill in The Last First: Winter K2 . It’s so gripping (pun intended), I couldn’t look away… I even broke my self-imposed “no screen” rule for my seven-month-old so he could watch with me. The film made its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and is now playing in select theaters and on Apple TV.

Credits

The Last First: Winter K2 is produced by Howard T. Owens and Ben Silverman through Propagate Content; Sean Richard produces for Object Studios; and Sarah Thomson and John Battsek serve as producers for Ventureland. The film is executive produced by James Packer, Will Kane, Drew Buckley, Taylor Levin, Isabel San Vargas, Bar-Lev, Kerstin Emhoff and Ali Brown.