In August 2013 a group of 7 climbers - 5 Americans and 2 Myanmarese - traveled to the farthest reaches of northern Myanmar to make a first ascent of Gamlang Razi, Southeast Asia’s disputed highest peak. All told, the climbers traveled over 270 miles on foot through some of the harshest terrain on the planet, braving extreme heat and moisture, as well as the gambit of jungle creatures. Despite these challenges, they were rewarded with rare access to one of the most remote and untouched corners of this planet, living with villagers along the trail that have never seen westerners before. In fact, there have been less than a dozen or so westerners who have ever been to this part of the world and only one climbing expedition in history have been to these mountains.

Although making a first ascent of Gamlang Razi was the primary goal, the climbers soon discovered that the actual peak was far less significant than the experiences they were having with the people with whom they were traveling, the villagers they met and stayed with, and the country of Myanmar in general. As a country that is just recently awaking from over 50 years of military dictatorship and relative isolation, the group were offered a rare glimpse into a culture unaffected by the rapid pace of globalization throughout the rest of the world.

This film is not just a recounting of a mountaineering expedition, it’s a film about a people and a country that are on the brink of rapid change, and what this might entail for their future..

Awards:
Grand Prize - New Zealand Mountain Film Festival 2015
Best Documentary Short - Sedona International Film Festival 2015
Finalist - BANFF Mountain Film & Book Festival 2014
Official Selection - Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2015

Watch a clip here.

2014
Fisher Creative, USA