The 31st Arizona International Film Festival

Based on the tragic 1996 Mt. Everest disaster, the opera focuses on three climbers as they attempt the ill-fated summit. A new genre, the animated graphic novel puts you inside the pages as the tale drives on.

Director's Statement

In the spring of 1996, a group of climbers attempted to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Before the storm-wracked trek was over, eight people had died on the mountain. I was fascinated. Combining the commissioned illustrations of Mark Simmons and Cinematographer David Murakami, we found twe could bring the film to life using motion-capture technology. Synching the film to Joby Talbot’s composition, we were able to catch the singers’ evocative performances. The result is a film in which each turn of the page heightens our experience of this heartbreaking story of heroism, death, and survival.

Category: Experimental.

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