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Heinz Leger

Climbing Everest with a Mountain on My Back: The Sherpa's Story

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31/01/2013

BBC Four - Climbing Everest with a Mountain on My Back: The Sherpa's Story

The reality of the daily lives of the Sherpas who help mountaineers climb Everest.

Film revealing the reality of the lives of four of the Sherpas who help mountaineers climb Everest, both in their work on the mountain and with their families after returning home.

Every year, over a thousand climbers try to reach the summit of Mount Everest, with the annual record for successful attempts currently standing at 633. But of that number, nearly half were Sherpas - the mountain's unsung heroes. Yet the Sherpa community has remained secretive about their nation, culture and experiences living in the shadow of the world's highest mountain. Now, for the first time, they open the door into their world. 

Without the expertise of the Sherpas, only the hardiest and most skilful climbers would succeed. Every day they risk their lives for the safety of others, yet they seek neither glory nor reward, preferring to stay in the background. Following the stories of four such Sherpas - Phurba, Ngima, Ngima Tenji and Gelu - this film reveals the reality of their daily lives, not just up the mountain, but with their families after they return home.

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