Sherpa

The image of the smiling sherpa was fixed in 1953, when Sir Edmund Hillary and his trusty guide Tenzing Norgay conquered Everest in their successful climb to the mountain's peak. Since then, scores of sherpas have made the trip, and a thriving tourist industry was born. Filmmaker Jennifer Peedom's documentary addresses a disastrous 2014 accident in which an avalanche at the deadly Khumbu Icefall killed 16 people, many of them sherpas. Even before the tragedy, tension had been building between climbers and sherpas, culminating in all-out brawls between the two groups in 2013. Contemporary, better educated sherpas feel that they are undervalued and underpaid, especially since they take most of the risks. Climbing is a "bucket list" ambition for many Westerners, resulting in traffic jams along the trail, and many climbers demand creature comforts, which have to be carried by the sherpas. Sherpa examines the events leading to the avalanche, subsequent rescue efforts, and the ensuing (and often heated) debate over whether to cancel the rest of the season (an even deadlier disaster occurred in 2015, when an earthquake struck). Sherpas—who take their name from their community's ethnic identity—view the mountain as a holy place, and are motivated by respect, along with the need to support their families. Airing the concerns of both the Nepalese sherpas and the climbers, and backed by gorgeous cinematography highlighting the beauty of Mount Everest, this is highly recommended. (S. Rees)