Whether you’re a seasoned climber or simply love a good mountain adventure, these mountaineering films offer drama both on and off the summit.

Tenzing (2026, Apple TV)

The story of the first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 has often been told through the figure of New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary. But what about Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa mountaineer who stood beside him on the summit?

Tenzing, a new feature film directed by Jennifer Peedom, seeks to put Tenzing firmly back at the centre of his own story.

Starring Genden Phuntsok as Tenzing, alongside Tom Hiddleston as Edmund and Willem Dafoe as expedition leader John Hunt, the film follows the historic expedition and the struggle to have Tenzing recognised as a full member of the climbing team, rather than merely a supporting figure in a British-led endeavour. Caitríona Balfe plays expedition secretary Jill Henderson, while Thinley Lhamo portrays Tenzing’s wife, Dawa, whose encouragement is central to his journey.

What makes the story particularly compelling is the contrast between the climbers’ perspectives. For the Western expedition, Everest represents a formidable peak to be conquered; for Tenzing, Chomolungma — the Tibetan name for Everest — is also a sacred mountain, bound to his identity and spirituality. The film explores the tensions of class, colonial attitudes and recognition alongside the physical dangers of climbing at extreme altitude.

Take your pick from gripping mountain documentaries, stories of record-breaking climbs and a Hollywood blockbuster that takes danger to ridiculous new heights. There’s plenty in Icon’s selection to keep you glued

Peedom, whose previous works include the acclaimed mountaineering documentaries Sherpa (2016) and Mountain (2017), brings considerable experience of high-altitude storytelling to the project. The result is a timely reminder that mountaineering history is not only about who reaches the summit, but whose contribution gets remembered.

Tenzing arrived on Apple TV earlier this month. It’s a compelling watch for mountain lovers and anyone interested in the people behind one of the greatest achievements in climbing history.

The Last First: Winter K2 (2026, Apple TV)

Within days of Apple TV being available for Pakistanis, The Last First: Winter K2 made its debut on the platform and immediately hit #1 globally.

What happens when one of the world’s most dangerous mountains becomes the stage for a race involving national pride, commercial interests, social media and the pursuit of mountaineering glory?

The Last First: Winter K2, directed by Amir Bar-Lev, offers a gripping and deeply unsettling look at the 2021 expedition to summit K2 in winter — a feat that had eluded climbers for decades. The documentary premiered on Apple TV on October 2.

At its heart are Icelandic climber John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Pakistani father-and-son mountaineers Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Sajid Sadpara, who set out to achieve the historic first winter ascent of the 8,611-metre peak. Their expedition becomes increasingly complicated when they find themselves sharing the mountain with Nirmal “Nims” Purja and his Nepali team, commercial expedition clients and a growing media entourage.

What begins as an extraordinary test of endurance and technical skill evolves into a much bigger story about ambition, class, power, money and who gets credit for achievements in the mountains. The film draws on expedition footage and interviews to revisit a climb that ended in tragedy, with Ali Sadpara, John Snorri and Juan Pablo Mohr failing to return from the mountain.

For Pakistani audiences, the documentary carries particular weight. Ali Sadpara was one of the country’s most celebrated mountaineers, while Sajid’s survival and subsequent efforts to understand what happened give the story an intensely personal dimension.

This is not simply another adrenaline-fuelled climbing film. It asks uncomfortable questions about the commercialisation of extreme mountaineering, the pressure to achieve records and the human cost of pursuing them. For anyone interested in Pakistan’s mountains, this is essential viewing.

Vertical Limit (2000, Netflix)

Just for fun, why don’t we kick back and watch this classic? Directed by Martin Campbell and starring Chris O’Donnell, Robin Tunney and Bill Paxton, Vertical Limit follows a desperate rescue mission on K2, Pakistan’s 8,611-metre giant, after a climbing team becomes trapped in an ice cavern.

Released in 2000, the Hollywood blockbuster grossed more than $200 million worldwide, bringing high-altitude adventure to audiences far beyond the climbing community. With spectacular mountain scenery, avalanches, daredevil rescues and enough cliff-hangers to exhaust even the fittest climber, Vertical Limit helped fuel popular imagination around mountaineering.

For many viewers, it was an introduction to the drama and danger of climbing the world’s highest peaks. For actual mountaineers, however, it is something of a comedy: the improbable stunts, questionable safety practices and increasingly ridiculous plot twists make it difficult to take Vertical Limit seriously. The opening climbing sequence alone is enough to make seasoned climbers wince.

Still, the film has a special appeal for Pakistani audiences. Set on K2, it brings the country’s extraordinary mountain landscape to the screen, even if the Hollywood version takes considerable liberties with reality. More than two decades later, Vertical Limit remains an entertaining, over-the-top adventure — best enjoyed with a healthy dose of disbelief, especially if you have ever climbed a mountain yourself. Watch it for the spectacle; stay for the mountaineering absurdity.

Savage Mountain (2026, Sky Documentaries/NOW)

A new documentary, Savage Mountain, revisits Kristin Harila’s record-breaking 2023 ascent of the world’s 14 highest peaks in just 92 days, alongside climbing partner Tenjen “Lama” Sherpa, and the controversy surrounding the death of Pakistani high-altitude porter Mohammad Hassan on K2.

Directed by Even Sigstad, the film draws on previously unseen footage to examine ambition, ethics and the human cost of pursuing mountaineering records. It is streaming on Sky Documentaries and NOW in the UK, but is not currently listed for streaming in Pakistan.

It is particularly disappointing that a film so deeply connected to Pakistan’s mountains, and to the death of a Pakistani porter, may be inaccessible to audiences in the very country where its central events unfolded. Pakistani viewers deserve the opportunity to watch and engage with this story, too.

The writer is a journalist, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and radio correspondent. She can be reached at syed.madeeha@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, ICON, November 1st, 2026