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Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest

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Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest is a 2022 biographical documentary about Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to summit Mount Everest on April 22, 1993. The film utilizes archival footage, interviews of people who knew Pasang, contemporary HD footage of Nepal and Everest, and motion graphics to explore Sherpa's pioneering achievements and the cultural and gender challenges she faced in the mountaineering community. It highlights her impact on Nepali society and her inspiration for future generations of Nepali women.

Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest
Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest
Theatrical release poster
Directed byNancy Svendsen
Written bySharon Wood, Adam Keker, Sari Gilman
Produced byNancy Svendsen, Richard Levien, Christy McGill
StarringPasang Lhamu Sherpa
CinematographyMartina Radwan
Edited byJeffrey Friedman, Sari Gilman, Richard Levien
Music byTodd Boekelheide
Production
company
Follow Your Dream Foundation
Release date
  • 2022 (2022)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish, French, & Nepali
Box office$25,267.[1]

Synopis

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Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest[2] follows the life of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa and explores her determined journey against the backdrop of Nepal's male-dominated climbing culture, detailing the obstacles she overcame to achieve her dream. The documentary highlights Pasang Lhamu Sherpa's enduring legacy, which has been recognized as a source of inspiration for future generations of Nepali climbers, including Dawa Yangzum Sherpa and Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita.[3]

Cast

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The main cast of *Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest includes:

  • Pasang Lhamu Sherpa – Herself (Nepal's first woman to summit Mount Everest)
  • Marc Batard – Himself (French mountaineer known as "The Sprinter")
  • Norbu Tenzing – Himself (Son of Tenzing Norgay, Vice President of the American Himalayan Foundation)
  • Vincanne Adams – Herself (Anthropologist and scholar specializing in Himalayan cultures. Author of Tigers of the Snow and Other Virtual Sherpas.[4])
  • Jan Arnold – Herself (Everest summiteer, physician, and widow of mountaineer Rob Hall)
  • Rudi Meier – Himself (Swiss mountaineer and guide)
  • Jean Raphoz – Himself (Mountaineer and alpine guide)
  • Mireille Schmitt – Herself (Pasang Lhamu's friend and Marc Batard's wife)
  • Dawa Futi Sherpa – Herself (Pasang Lhamu's daughter)
  • Ang Dorjee Sherpa – Himself (Pasang Lhamu's eldest brother)
  • Lhakpa Geltzen Sherpa – Himself (Sherpa climber who accompanied Pasang Lhamu on her 1993 climb)
  • Nawang Thiele Sherpa – Himself (Pasang Lhamu's younger brother)
  • Pasang Yangjee Sherpa, PhD – Herself (A scholar of Sherpa culture and an academic researcher. Her expertise is documented in her review of Sherpa: Trouble on Everest, published in HIMALAYA.[5])
  • Pemba Norbu Sherpa – Himself (Climber and guide)
  • Phurna Kitar Sherpa – Himself (Pasang Lhamu's climbing partner)
  • Raju Silwal – Himself (Nepalese journalist and Chief News Editor at Nepal News English[6])
  • Pascal Tournaire – Himself (Photographer and mountaineer)
  • Sir Edmund Hillary – Himself (archival footage)
  • Tenzing Norgay (archive footage)

Production

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After learning about Pasang Lhamu Sherpa during a dinner conversation with her brother-in-law, Ang Dorjee Sherpa, Nancy Svendsen took an interest in producing a documentary to tell Pasang's story. The film took over 10 years to make, with Nancy Svendsen painstakingly working on combining photos and archival footage with interviews, and additional filming, editing, and motion graphics to illustrate the climbing expeditions on Mount Everest. Nancy's fundraising efforts began with the help of Executive Producer Alison Levine to complete the production. The fundraising campaigns initially referred to the film as The Glass Ceiling: The Untold Story of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa[7][8] The fundraisers aimed to cover post-production costs such as the original music score, color correction, and sound effects.[9] In 2011-2017, Svendsen raised over $160,000 from over 900 backers on Kickstarter and Indiegogo.[10][11][12] Notable contributors included Dianne Feinstein, Arlene Blum, and several foundations such as Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Stanton Family Foundation, John Rudolph Family Foundation, and William Simon Foundation. The funds raised helped record interviews with Pasang's family and mountaineers who knew her, hire a cinematographer to shoot scenes in Nepal and edit additional footage she had access to from Pasang Lhamu's funeral, covered on Nepali state television. The team also used footage from Rick Tejada Flores, who had interviewed Dorjee Sherpa in 1998 for a documentary about Pasang Lhamu that didn't come to fruition,[13] and hired Academy Award winners Todd Boekelheide as the film's music composer, and Jeffrey Friedman as the editor to bring Pasang's story to life.[14]

Reception

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Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest was an official selection at 45 film festivals across the United States and internationally between 2022 and 2024. The film made its World Premiere on March 3, 2022, at the 37th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (Santa Barbara, CA).

The film was showcased at several prestigious film festivals, including the 24th Annual RiverRun International Film Festival (Winston-Salem, NC), 43rd Annual Mountainfilm Festival (Telluride, CO), 8th Annual Bentonville Film Festival (Bentonville, AK), 42nd Annual Kendal Mountain Film Festival (Kendal, England, UK), 46th Annual Banff Centre Mountain Film & Book Festival (Banff, Alberta, Canada), 71st Annual Trento Film Festival (Trento, Italy), the 35th Annual Virginia Film Festival (Charlottesville, VA), 25th Annual Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (Vancouver, BC, Canada),[15] the 19th Annual Boulder International Film Festival (Boulder, CO), and the 18th Annual Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (Seattle, WA), which is the only South Asian Film Festival to qualify for the Oscars.[16]

In addition to these, Pasang was also screened at a wide range of other film festivals across North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond, highlighting its global appeal and relevance.

Accolades

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The film has garnered twenty-one awards including:

  • Dhaka International Film Festival - 2024 Winner: Best Documentary Film[17]
  • Nepal America International Film Festival - 2023 Winner: Best Feature Documentary
  • Trento Film Festival - 2023 Winner: Mario Bello Award
  • New York Wild Film Festival - 2023 Winner: Wild Spirit Award Best Feature
  • Ulju Mountain Film Festival - 2023 Winner: Special Jury Prize
  • BendFilm Festival - 2022 Winner Audience Award
  • Nevada City Film Festival, US - 2022 Winner Audience Award
  • Banff Mountain Film Competition - 2022 Winner Festival Prize Best Feature Mountain Culture
  • Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival - 3 Awards
    • 2022 Winner: Clio Visualizing History Prize for the Advancement of Women in Film
    • 2022 Winner: AICEF Prize for Cross-Cultural Filmmaking
    • 2022 Winner: Audience Award
  • Bentonville Film Festival -2022 Winner: Special Recognition Honorary Mention, Documentary Feature
  • Festival International du Film Alpin des Diablerets - 2023 Winner: Diable d'Or Culture of the World Award
  • Mountain Film Festival - 2022 Winner: Charlie Fowler Best Adventure Film Award
  • Bilbao Mendi Film Festival - 2022 Winner: Best Culture & Nature Film
  • Kendal Mountain Festival - 2022 Winner: Best Mountain
  • Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival - 2023 Winner: Jury Prize Jury Special Mention
  • Coast Film Festival - 2022 Winner: Best Spirit Award

Release

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The film's theatrical release screened in theaters in four countries: Nepal, Italy, Canada, and the United States.

Nepal Theatrical Premiere

To commemorate 30 years since Pasang's historic climb of the highest peak in the world, Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest premiered at QFX in Kathmandu, Nepal on April 19th, 2023 with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dev Raj Ghimire, along with Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, and other representatives from embassies, UN offices, and NGOs in attendance.[18][19] The premiere was a fundraiser for the Pasang Lhamu Foundation, which had translated the film into Nepalese to screen the film beyond Kathmandu Valley to Provinces 1 & 2 for students and women's organizations. The film screened for the public at QFX beginning April 28th,[20] and the film went on to screen in locations such as Lukla, Junbesi Monastery, Phaplu Community School, and Namche Bazaar, with the help of the US Embassy Nepal and the Kumbo Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality.[21] During the screening at Namche Bazaar, the event was attended by US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson, as highlighted in the official gallery of the film *Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest*. The gallery includes a photo from this event dated April 30th, 2023.[22]

Italy Theatrical Premiere

The distributor in Italy, Mescalito Film, screened "Pasang: all'ombra dell'Everest"[23] with Italian subtitles in over 45 cities in Italy between September 2023 and April 2024. The film premiered on September 7, 2023, and screened in the following Italian cities: Roma, Pisa, Bologna, Asti, Mantova, Trento, Cesena, Fano, Savignano sul Rubicone, Torino, Milano, Ascoli Piceno, Monza, Cremona, Treviglio, Trieste, Ancona, Padova, Matera, Foggia, Bra, L'aquila, Conegliano, Treviso, Manerbio, Rieti, Senigallia, Vittorio Veneto, Galbiate, Bergamo, Parma, Copadarco, Ferrara, Pesaro, Vincenza, La Spezia, Catania, Genova, Pascara, and Lombardia.[24]

North American Theatrical Premiere

In the United States, theatrical distributor Lisa Hurwitz of Slice of Pie Productions, who had recently self-distributed her own film, The Automat,[25] became the distributor of Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest for a short-run theatrical release in select theaters in the United States and Canada between January and June 2024.[26]

Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest was one of 14 films released in theaters in the United States on Friday, January 19th, 2024.[27] Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest premiered in New York at Cinema Village for one week only and had the following special guests during different screening dates at times: Bishnu Prasad Gautam and Anup Khaple of Rest of World, Sanjeev M Sherchan of Asia Society New York, Preeti Adhikary of the Great Nepali Diaspora, President of the US Nepal Climbers Association, Prarthana Gurung of Adhikaar Center, Nepalese Actress Subeksha Khadka, Prava Adhikari of Himalayan Language and Culture Program NY, Er. Temba Sherpa of United Sherpa Association, and Suresh Shahi of Khasokhas Magazine, Journalist Prandeep Thapa of Nepalism, Angela Sherpa, President of Network of Sherpa Students and Professionals, and Pasang Doma Sherpa, Ms. Mongol Nepal 2022..[28][29]

On January 19th, the film also premiered in Vancouver, B.C. at the VIFF Film Center's First Look Friday Screening with special guest, Pasang Yangjee Sherpa, PhD, Anthropologist and Assistant Professor of First Nations & Endangered Languages Program at the University of British Columbia.[30]

Following its premieres at the VIFF Center in Vancouver, Canada, and Cinema Village in New York, Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest was screened in various theaters across the US and Canada. The film was shown at notable venues including Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles, the Regal Kaufman Astoria in Queens, NY, and the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto.[31] The film's distribution included several other theaters such as Rosendale Theater in Rosendale, NY,[32] Olympia Film Society - Olympia, WA,,[33] and SIFF - Seattle, WA.[34][35]

Virtual Premiere

The worldwide virtual premiere of Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest occurred on May 29th, (International Everest Day), 2024.[36] The film was available on Eventive for one week, from May 29th to June 5th, 2024. The premiere featured several special modules, including:

  • Why Trailblazers Matter: A discussion moderated by journalist Lisa Ling, featuring Lehua Kamalu, who navigated a 3,000-mile Pacific voyage without maps or technology,[37] Sarah Friar, CEO of Nextdoor (2012–2024) and now CFO of OpenAI, and JoAnn Ross, the first female executive at Paramount to become Chairman of Advertising[38]
  • Women on Everest Today: A conversation featuring Lex Limbu, founder of one of Nepal's most visited websites and a leading authority on the Nepali entertainment industry,,[39] who interviewed Dawa Futi Sherpa, and Dawa Yangzum Sherpa.
  • Q&A with the Filmmakers: A discussion with Director, Nancy Svendsen, Executive Producers, Ang Dorjee Sherpa, and Dawa Futi Sherpa, and one of the film's interviewees, Norbu Tenzing (son of Tenzing Norgay), moderated by Preeti Adhikari, founder of the Great Nepali Diaspora.
  • Never Before Seen Footage: Interviews with Alison Levine and Arlene Blum which did not make it into the final film.

Home media

The film was released on the digital streaming platform, Amazon Prime Video in the US and UK territories on July 29, 2024.[29]

Archival Significance

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The script for Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest was donated to the Academy Foundation for placement in the prestigious Margaret Herrick Library. This donation signifies the film's cultural and historical importance, ensuring that the script will be preserved and accessible to researchers and filmmakers. The Margaret Herrick Library, managed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is known for its extensive collection of documents and materials related to the history of film.[40]

Critical Response

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Rotten Tomatoes rates the documentary at 86%.[41]

The following reviews for the film are mostly positive except for Ben Kenigsberg's mixed review in the New York Times.

  • Golden Globe Awards - "Docs: The Remarkable and Untold Story of Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest"[42]
  • Alliance of Women Film Journalists - Movie of the Week January 12, 2024[43]
  • Film Threat - Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest[44]
  • Reel News Daily - Review: 'Pasang: In The Shadow of Everest' Showcases a National Hero with Tenacity to Spare[45]
  • The New York Times - "'Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest' Review: A Barrier-Breaking Ascent - This documentary tells the story of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to summit Earth's highest mountain."[46]
  • Video Librarian - Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest - 4.5 stars out of 5 stars[47]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest (2022)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  2. ^ "About the Film". Pasang Movie. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Pasang Lhamu Sherpa". haydenrue.com. 22 July 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  4. ^ Adams, Vincanne (2023). The Colonial Shadow: Medicine and Power in Southeast Asia. University of Washington Press. JSTOR j.ctv33t5gs7.
  5. ^ Sherpa, Pasang Yangjee (2017). "Review of Sherpa: Trouble on Everest by Jennifer Peedom". Himalaya. 37 (1). Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  6. ^ "Nepal News". Nepal News. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Trailer: The Glass Ceiling: The Untold Story of the First Nepali Woman to Summit Everest". Climbing.com. 13 April 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  8. ^ "The Glass Ceiling: A Story of a Nepali Woman Who Climbed the Everest". The Daily Eye. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  9. ^ "Nepal Woman First to Climb Everest and Inspiration Pasang Lhamu Sherpa". The Independent. 3 December 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  10. ^ "Pasang Lhamu Sherpa: The Glass Ceiling". Explore Inspired. 8 November 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  11. ^ "The Glass Ceiling on Everest". ExplorersWeb. November 30, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  12. ^ "Pasang Lhamu Sherpa: A Story of Courage Needs Your Help". AlanArnette.com. November 28, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  13. ^ "Sept. 30: 'Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest'". Marin Independent Journal (cached version due to paywall). September 29, 2022. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  14. ^ Pam Grady (October 19, 2022). "Documentary Unveils Long-Elusive Story of Nepalese Woman Who Defied Caste Systems to Climb Everest". San Francisco Chronicle.
  15. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest". Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival.
  16. ^ "TSAFF 2023 becomes the first and only South Asian film festival to qualify for the Oscars". International Examiner. 10 October 2023.
  17. ^ "22nd DIFF wraps up in cinematic splendour and global triumph". The Daily Star. January 22, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  18. ^ "Pasang in the Shadow of Everest premieres in Nepal," Nepal News, April 19, 2023. [1]
  19. ^ Tayama Rai, "Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the film: A new docudrama about Nepal's first woman to climb Mt Everest is a tale of discrimination, dedication, triumph and tragedy," Nepal Times, April 22, 2023. [2]
  20. ^ "Pasang in the Shadow of Everest," The Himalayan Times, April 28, 2023. [3]
  21. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest Film Screening," Pasang Lhamu Foundation, [4]
  22. ^ "Photo Gallery - Screening at Namche Bazaar". Pasang Movie. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Pasang: all'ombra dell'Everest," Mescalito Film, [5]
  24. ^ "Pasang," Facebook, [6]
  25. ^ Holden, Stephen (February 18, 2022). "How Lisa Hurwitz Resurrected The Automat". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  26. ^ Lisa Hurwitz, Facebook, [7]
  27. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest," Movie Insider, [8]
  28. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest," Cinema Village, [9]
  29. ^ a b "The Remarkable Journey of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa on the Big Screen in NYC," NepYork, January 10, 2024. [10]
  30. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest," VIFF, January 2024. [11]
  31. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest," Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, [12]
  32. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest," Rosendale Theater, [13]
  33. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest," Olympia Film Society, [14]
  34. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest," SIFF, [15]
  35. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest Theatrical Screenings," Pasang Movie, [16]
  36. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest Set for Virtual World Premiere on May 29". NA Film Society. 22 May 2024.
  37. ^ "Woman Navigated 3,000-Mile Pacific Voyage Without Maps or Technology". National Geographic.
  38. ^ Alex Weprin, "Jo Ann Ross to Transition to Chairman Role at Paramount, John Halley to Lead Ad Sales," The Hollywood Reporter, October 4, 2022. [17]
  39. ^ "Lex Limbu: One of Nepal's Most Influential Bloggers". TechLekh. March 14, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  40. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
  41. ^ "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  42. ^ Gijbels, Kristien (March 13, 2022). "Docs: The Remarkable and Untold Story of Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  43. ^ "Movie of the Week January 12, 2024 - Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. 7 January 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  44. ^ B., Hanna (March 2, 2022). "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest". Film Threat. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  45. ^ Rillera, Britni (March 15, 2022). "Review: 'Pasang: In The Shadow of Everest' Showcases a National Hero with Tenacity to Spare". Reel News Daily. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  46. ^ Kenigsberg, Ben (January 18, 2024). "'Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest' Review: A Barrier-Breaking Ascent". The New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  47. ^ Zimmerman, J. (March 29, 2024). "Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest". Video Librarian. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
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