K2: A LOOK BACK

Saturday, November 6, at 8:00 pm
Eric Harvie Theatre - Live Performance
Margaret Greenham Theatre - Simulcast Presentation

Soaring to 8616 metres on the border between Pakistan and China, K2 is second to Mount Everest in height, but first in the world in difficulty and danger. In this 50th-anniversary year of the first successful ascent, we invite you to revisit key moments in the history of the “Savage Mountain”. Charles Houston’s rarely seen historical footage highlights the gritty hard work undertaken by earlier expeditions in opening routes to and on the mountain. Dr. Robert Marshall, Walter Bonatti’s translator and passionate advocate, gave us his well-researched take on the controversy surrounding the first ascent by the Italians. John Roskelley, member of the first successful American team, relived the tensions and triumphs of that 1978 expedition. We finished the evening with Women of K2, a tribute to the first five women to reach the world’s most dangerous summit.

8:00 pm
Brotherhood of the Rope
(USA, 2004, 50’) WORLD PREMIERE
Director/Producer: Charles Houston*
A story of people on a common journey, this film takes us on the 1938 and 1953 American K2 expeditions, known for their incredible team spirit as much as for opening up the original route on the mountain. Completed just one week before the festival by Dr. Charles Houston, using rarely seen footage, original drawings by Dee Molenar, and a rediscovered K2 symphony written specially for the expedition, Brotherhood of the Rope is dedicated to Dr. Houston’s K2 team partners.

8:55 pm
Guest speaker: Robert Marshall

9:30 pm
Announcement of the 2004 John Lauchlan Memorial Award

9:35 pm
Break

9:55 pm
Guest speaker: John Roskelley

10:30 pm
Women of K2
(USA, 2004, 47’) CANADIAN PREMIERE
Director: Jeff Rhoads*
Producer: Jennifer Jordan*
Whereas Everest has been climbed over 2000 times, only 196 people have summited K2 and only five of them were women, three of whom never made it down. Today, all the women who have climbed K2 are dead. Featuring revealing interviews and rare archival photographs, this film tells the story of the five fearless women who reached K2’s breathtaking summit.

* In person