Australian Premiere

40 DAYS AT BASE CAMP

Sat 18th August | 4pm | Dendy Opera Quays

Dir: Dianne Whelan, Canada, 2011, 89 min

A terrifying and mesmerising stay at the world’s most extreme camp – Mount Everest.

Many spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to attempt the world’s highest peak, one in twenty die. Dianne Whelan’s documentary is both a riveting look at what motivates these climbers, from the utterly amateur to the hard core, and a breathtaking ode to the splendour and terror of Mount Everest.

The film explores the transformation of Everest from what was once a revered, sacred space to the mountain theme park it’s in danger of becoming. Following three teams as they attempt the summit, Whelan interviews the climbers, volunteer doctors, sherpas and sponsors that allow thrill-seekers to reach the peak. It’s your chance to discover what it’s like to summit Mount Everest without leaving your cinema seat!

“Whelan brings a photographer's eye and a storyteller's ear to this inhuman environment and returns with a revealing look at the men and women who take on mountains.” Cinema Montreal

Official Selection, Banff Mountain Film Festival