Film No. 13 (2016) Sherpa February 19th.

Film No. 13 (2016) February 19th.  8.00 PM THE PINES Outdoor Cinema Joondalup.

"The risks that the Sherpa were being asked to take, what is the moral justification for that?" (The question asked by a Western expedition leader on a climb up Everest).

Sherpa opens with Director Jennifer Peedmon and her cinematographer talking to camera about their intent to dedicate their award winning film to all the Sherpa who'd lost their lives on Everest. There have been many, many more Sherpa than the tourists they lead who have lost their lives, we soon learn why this is the case. But most importantly we are left in awe of a proud people, so tough and resilient that without their uniqueness Everest would not be the ultimate adventure destination for the privileged.


The film sets us on course to follow in the footsteps of Phurba Tashi, a Sherpa who works for Russell Brice, a likable westerner who runs expeditions for those wishing to tick Everest off their bucket lists. Tashi is Brice's foreman, he controls the team of Sherpa who will wait upon the high paying tourists as they are guided to the summit in 2014. The thing is, the film is forced from its intended focus because of what happens on the mountain that year. On April 18th an ice fall occurs which changes how expeditions will be run for ever.


But the film unfortunately becomes unstuck as we are suddenly taken away from our fly on the wall experience; watching in wonder at how the Sherpa stopped just short of physically carrying their guests to the summit. We are made to refocus on how this game changing emergency affects the people who's very livelihood depends on recreational tourism.  Peedmon, while continuing to remain loyal to the Sherpa suddenly becomes a news photographer as we gain an insight into the tragedy surrounding 16 deaths that year. 


Don't get me wrong. Peedmon may have been on the verge of creating a masterpiece before the chance event, but that ice fall stopped her in her tracks. Russell Brice's Sherpa were fortunate to escape injury in the ice fall but in it's aftermath they unite with the other Sherpa on the mountain in their fight for a better deal from the westerners and more importantly their government. We are no longer  witnesses to an attempted ascent of the world's tallest mountain but instead to a Sherpa uprising. Tashi remains integral to the film as he quietly contemplates his short term then finally his long term future but we never feel really connected. Sherpa is not a brilliant cinematic document but it's an important film. 8GUMS.