I made it to the final screening at the Gold Coast Arts Centre, of this Australian docudrama. The film documents the lead up to and events following a massive avalanche in the Khumbu icefall in April 2014. Australian climber and film-maker Jen Peedom was filming in the region, when thirteen of the dead were Sherpas. This natural disaster released an explosion of unresolved tension built up by years of inequality by western commercial climbing companies. From the outset, sherpas were crucial in the success of western summiteers. Edmund Hillary could not have summited without Tenzin Norgay. Yet Tenzin was never given the same respect as Edmund and this pattern has been repeated over the years. The absolute difference in journeys through the extremely dangerous Khumbu icefall says it all; western clients do it twice while the sherpas may cross between 20-30 times a season. It seems that foreigners can pay out the risk so they have the luxuries they need for their climb. Further, the Nepalese government is taking up to 30% of the profits without delivering pensions or support for the sherpa families. The sherpas realised their power and closed the everest climbing season.
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