November 10, 2010
Last year, the Kathmandu International Film Festival awarded Best Film to “Sherpas: The True Heroes of Mt. Everest”, directed by Frank Senn, Hari Thapa and Otto C. Honneger.
This is an incredible documentary – and long overdue. It focuses on the vital role that Sherpas play in making it possible for wealthy Westerners to summit the mountain. Even more engrossing is the fact that it is primarily told from the Sherpas’ point of view. It is the Sherpas who mule the oxygen tanks, the heavy loads of equipment, fuel and food. It is the Sherpas who forge ahead – well in advance of the Western climbers – testing and bridging the crevasses and identifying the sinkholes that constantly shift with every expedition. It is the Sherpas who ensure with smiling faces that each successive base camp is set up – tea boiling – when the Westerners arrive from a day’s climb. And if catastrophe strikes, it is the Sherpas who are responsible for bringing down the injured or dead.
The original version was released with German subtitles, which rather limited a wider audience. Now, however, an English version has been released and I recommend it to all mountaineers, trekkers or any Westerners who are simply interested in the sociological and moral ramifications of putting Sherpas’ life at risk for the sake of the personal glory.
This is a priceless addition to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Nepali.
Click here for youtube Trailer for Sherpas: The True Heroes of Mt. Everest
To purchase your copy of the DVD, you can contact directly the Nepali director Hari Thapa. I received my copy (sent to America) within about a week. If you are in Europe, it might be easier to contact Frank Senn. Here are their emails:
Hari Thapa: [email protected]
Frank Senn: [email protected]
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