Director Amir Bar-Lev tells a compelling true story of drama, tragedy, aspiration and jealousy, based on a 2021 mountaineering expedition that left five people dead on the slopes of K2.
The mountain drew risk-takers because only one challenge was left unconquered in the climbing world — to be the first person to summit K2 in the winter.
Icelandic adventurer John Snorri hopes to achieve the “Last First” with his companion, Pakistani legend Ali, and Ali’s son, Sajid. But the population soon increases at their base camp, with the arrival of adventurer Nurmal Purja, and his Nepalese team. And a commercial-climbing firm drops off a group of novices, hoping to take on the most dangerous mountain in the world.
Director Bar-Lev benefits from a treasure trove of video/GoPro footage shot by the various climbers. It’s remarkable he can clearly tell a story involving several different perspectives and many twists and turns — including a romance between two of the climbers, and political competition between Pakistan and nearby Nepal.
On the KPCW sun rating system, "The Last First: Winter K2” receives four-and-a-half out of five suns.
