Nature, sport, adventure; at times poetry, other times a display of selfishness, often an expression of solidarity: mountain is all this and more, in the author’s opinion, a sort of school of living. The considerations included in this film show that whatever you may learn in this “virtual” school, the climber, when approaching his goal, has to take into account the places and the people he meets on the way. The film lays particular stress on the relationship between the climber and the “host” who welcomes him in far-off poor regions, where climbing usually takes place. Behind every success and conquered peak there are people offering their help often in exchange for very little or even out of unpaid generosity. We are not only talking of porters and guides but of entire communities, even women and children, who are part of those places and if we make a close analysis, are often the symbol of our exploitation.
Director
ALBERTO IñURRATEGI
Alberto Iñurrategi
Alberto Iñurrategi was born in the Spanish town of Aretxabaleta, Guipúzcoa in 1968. He is the tenth climber in the world to succeed in reaching the peaks of the fourteen “eight-thousands”. Climber, writer and film-maker, he has directed the television series Oinak Izarretan for ETB (Televisión Autonomica Vasca). An episode of the series, Annapurna, sueño y vacio was entered in the Trentofilmfestival in 2002 and received the prize for best film at Torelló festival in Spain. His film Hire Himalaya, a homage to his brother Félix and giving a deep insight into the mountains, was awarded the first prizes at the festivals of Trento, Cervinia, Torelló, Poprad (Poland), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Kendal (England) and Telluride (Colorado), as well as the Jury award at Banff (Canada). In 2005 he shot Gure Himalaya. Since 1997 he has worked on the project “Al Filo de lo Imposible”, participating in several climbing expeditions to Everest, Baintha Brak, Gasherbrum III, Shivling, Nanga Parbat, Torres del Trango, Jala Bary, Moun. Cook and Dhaulagiri.