In the summer of 1966, the rescue of two German alpinists from the west wall of Dru (Mont Blanc range) occupied the front pages of the French newspapers and magazines, highlighting the efforts of one of the rescuers, Gary Hemming, an American mountaineer who was the promoter of the rescue attempt. After this Gary became a national hero. Hemming was 36 when he died, in still somewhat mysterious circumstances, in Wyoming in 1969. The film covers the story of this man with the recollections of his son Lauren, some alpinists such as René Desmaison and the use of film library footage.
Director
JEAN AFANASSIEFF
Jean Afanassieff is a French mountaineer, director, cameraman and producer. He has made 11 films that have featured and won awards at major mountain film festivals, including Trento, Banff, San Sebastian, Les Diablerets, Graz, Katowice, Telluride, La Plagne, Antibes, and Autrans. In 1978, he became the first French mountaineer to climb Everest. In 1979, he set a new world record for high-altitude downhill skiing (8,300 metres). He has taken part in a range of expeditions, including the first ascent of Mont Ross (Kerguelen Islands) and the first ascent of the north face of Mount Fitz Roy (Patagonia). His love of mountaineering and the mountains led him to become a mountain guide and technical consultant. In 1991, he was a jury member of the international TrentoFilmfestival.