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‘The Last First – Winter K2’ movie review: A pointedly harrowing documentary on a compromised crisis-in-the-making
Amir Bar-Lev’s documentary examines the fatal 2021 attempt to make the first winter ascent of K2, tracing how a crowded expedition and breaches of climbing protocols contributed to a crisis. The film matters because it explores how ambition, commercial mountaineering and influencer culture can put climbers at greater risk.
The attempt involved Pakistani climber Ali Sadpara, his son Sajid, and John Snorri Sigurjónsson, alongside other teams, including one organised by Seven Summit Treks. After Sajid descended because of an oxygen problem, Ali, Snorri and Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto went missing and died; Spanish climber Sergi Mingote had died earlier. The review praises the documentary’s detailed account but says its focus on blame and suspicions about the Nepalese team sometimes distracts from the climbers’ motives and the dangers of winter ascents.
In short
- A 2021 winter K2 attempt ended in multiple deaths.
- The documentary examines how the expedition became compromised.
- The review finds its account compelling but unevenly focused.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A strong case for the film’s critical approach is that a fatal expedition deserves close scrutiny of decisions, protocol breaches and commercial pressures that may have increased risk. Examining crowding and the influence of ambition or online attention can help climbers and organisers learn from the tragedy and prevent similar crises.
The case against
A strong case for restraint is that the deaths occurred in exceptionally dangerous winter conditions, and a focus on blame or suspicion can overstate what the available evidence establishes. The film may give a fuller account by foregrounding the climbers’ own motives and the inherent risks of K2, while treating claims about particular teams cautiously.
Explained simply
K2 is the world’s second-highest mountain, on the border between Pakistan and China, and is known for steep, difficult climbing. A winter ascent is especially dangerous because of extreme cold, high winds and limited daylight; before 2021, no one had reached its summit in winter.
The expedition included Pakistani climber Ali Sadpara and his son Sajid, Icelandic climber John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Chilean climber Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto, as well as commercial teams such as one organised by Nepalese company Seven Summit Treks. Sajid turned back after an oxygen problem, while Ali, Snorri and Mohr went missing and later died; Spanish climber Sergi Mingote had died earlier.
The film examines how the crowded expedition, climbing decisions and commercial and online attention shaped the risks. Its account also raises questions about responsibility, while considering the climbers’ reasons for attempting a dangerous first.