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Sundance Doc ‘The Last First: Winter K2’ Dissects the First Winter Ascent’s Cost

The film treats the 2020–2021 K2 campaign as an investigation into how a record was set at staggering human cost.

Overview

  • The Last First: Winter K2 premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 22, directed by Amir Bar-Lev and running 98 minutes.
  • The documentary reconstructs the season when Nirmal “Nims” Purja’s Nepali team reached K2’s summit in winter, while dispelling later rope-cutting rumors as false.
  • Five climbers died during the effort, with the film emphasizing systemic failures and human error over adrenaline-fueled spectacle.
  • Bar-Lev blends present-day interviews with extensive first-person footage from teams including John Snorri, Ali and Sajid Sadpara, Elia Saikaly, Nims Purja’s group, and Seven Summit Treks.
  • The coverage critiques commercial guiding and social-media pressures, highlighting poor coordination by Seven Summit Treks and unresolved questions over credit and responsibility.