Journey to Everest
Encyclopedia
Journey to Everest is a 2009 Christian adventure documentary film. Directed by David Kiern and produced by Mitchell Galin
for Epiphany Pictures, it follows the story of six Americans as they trek to Mount Everest
.
to trek to Everest Base Camp
. On their way into the mountains to begin their ascent, they are bumped from a plane flight
that crashes and kills 18 people.
After the crash, the team begins to re-think their own lives and the time that they have now been given. As they struggle with their decision of whether to continue on their trek, their faith comes into the fore as they experience the Hindu/Buddhist world of Kathmandu, Nepal
, face the challenges of the Everest Region, and discover the depths of who they are as Christians in a life-altering way.
, Pashupatinath Temple
, Namche Bazaar
, and a Buddhist monastery in Pangboche
claiming to possess the skeletal hand of a Yeti.
said in his review, "'Journey to Everest' is an exquisitely produced documentary. Yes, it is about a quest to conquer the world’s highest peak, and yes, the cinematography is breathtaking. But 'Journey to Everest' is more…much more. It is as much about scaling the heights within your own soul as it is about reaching the summit. It is as much about learning to trust things you cannot see with your eyes as it is about trusting your teammates. It is as much about compassion as it is about conquering the natural world."
During the summer of 2010, the film screened in over 275 churches in an effort to support Christian ministries, specifically foreign missions.
Journey to Everest was selected to screen at the 2010 Gideon Film Festival, San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival
, and 2011 Attic Film Festival.
Mitchell Galin
Mitchell Galin is an American film and television producer. He is best known for his work on Stephen King's The Stand for ABC and Frank Herbert's Dune for Syfy...
for Epiphany Pictures, it follows the story of six Americans as they trek to Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
.
Plot
Journey to Everest follows the adventures of a team of six American businessmen who travel to the HimalayasHimalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
to trek to Everest Base Camp
Everest Base Camp
There are two base camps on opposite sides of Mount Everest. South Base Camp is in Nepal at an altitude of , and North Base Camp is in Tibet at ). These camps are rudimentary campsites on Mount Everest that are used by mountain climbers during their ascent and descent...
. On their way into the mountains to begin their ascent, they are bumped from a plane flight
Yeti Airlines Flight 103
Yeti Airlines Flight 103, was a De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300 registered as 9N-AFE. The flight crashed on final approach to Tenzing-Hillary Airport in the town of Lukla in eastern Nepal on 8 October 2008...
that crashes and kills 18 people.
After the crash, the team begins to re-think their own lives and the time that they have now been given. As they struggle with their decision of whether to continue on their trek, their faith comes into the fore as they experience the Hindu/Buddhist world of Kathmandu, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, face the challenges of the Everest Region, and discover the depths of who they are as Christians in a life-altering way.
Production
Journey to Everest was filmed in October 2008 in Kathmandu and the Everest Region of Nepal. Among the exotic locations visited were Swayambhunath Temple, Durbar SquareDurbar Square
Durbar Square is the generic name used to describe plazas opposite old royal palaces in Nepal. Before the Unification of Nepal, Nepal consisted of small kingdoms, and Durbar Squares are most prominent remnants of those old kingdoms in Nepal...
, Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath temple
Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most significant Hindu temples of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The temple served as the seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, Nepal is a secular country...
, Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar is a village and Village Development Committee in Solukhumbu District in the Sagarmatha Zone of north-eastern Nepal. It is located within the Khumbu area at , populating the sides of a hill...
, and a Buddhist monastery in Pangboche
Pangboche Hand
The Pangboche Hand is an artifact stolen from a Buddhist monastery in Pangboche, Nepal. Supporters contend that the hand is from a Yeti, a scientifically unrecognized animal purported to live in the Himalayan mountains...
claiming to possess the skeletal hand of a Yeti.
Release
The world premiere was held at Thoroughbred Cinemas in Franklin, TN, and was a benefit for local Nepali Refugees. The film received four Doves from The Dove Foundation. Mike Parker of Examiner.comExaminer.com
Examiner.com is a media company based in Denver, Colorado, that operates a network of local news websites, allowing "pro–am contributors" to share their city-based knowledge on a blog-like platform, in 238 markets throughout the United States and parts of Canada with two national editions, one for...
said in his review, "'Journey to Everest' is an exquisitely produced documentary. Yes, it is about a quest to conquer the world’s highest peak, and yes, the cinematography is breathtaking. But 'Journey to Everest' is more…much more. It is as much about scaling the heights within your own soul as it is about reaching the summit. It is as much about learning to trust things you cannot see with your eyes as it is about trusting your teammates. It is as much about compassion as it is about conquering the natural world."
During the summer of 2010, the film screened in over 275 churches in an effort to support Christian ministries, specifically foreign missions.
Journey to Everest was selected to screen at the 2010 Gideon Film Festival, San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival
San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival
San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival is a film festival located in San Antonio, Texas.- 2007 competition :The winner of the Best of Festival Award was The Monstrous Regiment of Women, a documentary on Feminism by the Gunn brothers who in 2005 won the best documentary for their film...
, and 2011 Attic Film Festival.