REEL CAUSES in affiliation with VIFF VANCITY THEATRE proudly presents
SHERPAS the True Heroes of Mount Everest
“Among the Sherpas is Dawa, who has
ascended the Everest Summit thirteen times.”
A Benefit for the
“For the first time, a Himalayan expedition is shown not from the perspective of the Western mountaineers, but from the ever-smiling Sherpas who make their adrenaline adventure possible in the first place.”
Q&A Session with Director Hari Thapa live from Kathmandu
VIFF VANCITY THEATRE – 1181 Seymour Street
APRIL 11th – Doors Open 6:30pm – Event Begins 7:00pm
TICKETS $15 Buy Online
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A Film by Frank Senn, Hari Thapa and Otto. C. Honegger
Produced by the German Swiss Broadcasting Service (SF) and ARTE
BEST FILM KATHMANDU INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL 2009
TELEPOOL : For the first time, a Himalayan expedition is shown not from the perspective of the Western mountaineers, but from the ever-smiling sherpas who make their adrenaline adventure possible in the first place.
When Western mountain climbers return from Mt. Everest, they talk of the hardships and challenges, of their triumph and achievement, over the mountain and themselves, of the goddess Miyo Langsangma, who smiled on their ascent and allowed them to reach the summit. They tell of the smiling sherpas who helped them on their way, never complaining or showing any strain. Sometimes they have even become friends with the friendly folk from Solo Khumbu, the Himalayan region in northeast Nepal, on the Tibetan border. But who are the sherpas really? What do they think and feel setting out on an expedition? What goes on behind those friendly smiles? Questions we answer in three suspenseful episodes, documenting a Himalayan expedition for the first time from the sherpas’ perspective and letting the protagonists film themselves as they see each other. And suddenly the dangerous sport of high-altitude mountain climbing appears in a whole new light…
TRAS Nepali Film Nights : Sherpas – the True Heroes of Mount Everest showcases the work, hardships and life of the Sherpas at Mount Everest. The film follows the expedition of the Swiss mountain guide Kari Kobler and his European climbers as they climb the highest mountain in the world, a feat un-imaginable without the support and guidance of their hired Nepali Sherpas. Among the Sherpas is Dawa, who has peaked Everest thirteen times. Throughout the film, the Sherpas share their stories, feelings and fears on the climb. They tell us bluntly what it means for them to work for Western climbers and to act as their leaders on the top of the world, sometimes risking their own lives to save a Western client.
Since 1962, TRAS has developed a network of partner organizations in India, Nepal, and Tibet that implement health care and education projects in their communities.Projects approved and funded by TRAS are planned and executed by local communities in the Himalayas: they know best what they need. Project proposals come directly from partner organizations in the field to TRAS’s Board of Directors. The Board accepts projects that:
• fit TRAS’s mandate of supporting the health and education of children and youth in the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal and Tibet
• will be implemented by local Himalayan partners with the capacity to see the projects through to successful completion
• will fit within TRAS’s budgetary constraints
• TRAS raises funds year round from individual donors and through regular fundraising and educational events. Larger projects may be eligible for matching grants from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), but many projects are funded by TRAS alone, allowing TRAS to respond to small and large needs alike. TRAS relies on the generosity of donors to continue its work for Himalayan people.
• TRAS sends no staff or volunteers abroad, preferring to work with local partners in the Himalayas, using local expertise and materials, to address some of the social, economic, medical and environmental needs of this region.
“Supporting the health and education of children and youth in northern India, Nepal and Tibet since 1962.”
