Broad Peak, directed by Leszek Dawid and based on a true story, is the world’s first feature film shot above 5,600m. The biopic focuses on Maciej Berbeka, a legendary Polish mountaineer who, together with climbing partner Tomasz Kowalski, disappeared during the first winter ascent of Broad Peak (8,047m) in 2013.
Ireneusz Czop — playing the lead role as Maciej Berbeka — spent a year training and acquiring mountaineering skills to prepare himself for the part. Photo: Dariusz Zaąuski
Unlike many other mountaineering films dramatizing real-life events, Dawid eschewed the use both of studio sets and convenient home mountain ranges, such as the Polish Tatra. Instead, he and his crew spent over a month in northern Pakistan. Photo: Leszek Dawid
Maciej Rzączyński, one of the film’s producers, said that their aim is to cater to a broad audience while still making it “substantively good enough that mountain specialists do not laugh at us.” Photo: Leszek Dawid
The film crew returns to Base Camp on the Godwin-Austen Glacier. K2’s South Face looms behind. Besides Pakistan, the team also shot scenes in Warsaw, Zakopane and the French Alps. The US$3.6 million film will be released in 2020. Photo: Leszek Dawid
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Matthew Traver
Matt Traver is a filmmaker, photographer and creator of content relating to adventure, travel and culture.
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2 Comments on "Broad Peak Film: Behind the Scenes"
Looking forward to the release of this film. Was Berbeka never found?? What an incredible man that he was doing this 1st winter ascent and he was in his 50’s.
Hi Trish,
We’re looking forward to seeing the full film too 🙂 Sadly, Berbeka’s body was never found. Although, a few month’s later, his brother travelled to the peak and recovered Kowalski’s body from a crevasse at 7900m.
Matt.