PARK CITY, Utah -- A man who calls Utah home is the focus of a new film: Apa Sherpa is the only man in history – so far – to summit Mount Everest 21 times.
For the first time, with new camera technology, we see this Guinness World record holder in action.
This film project has been seven years in the making, and now it’s making a presence at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The Apa Sherpa documentary is in the post-production stage, but we got a sneak peek into Sherpa’s life through some extraordinary 360-degree footage from the top of Mount Everest.
Chances are you’ve never been to the top of Mount Everest, but now you can get a 360-degree view from the top thanks to Everest Media Productions and 360 Heros. Michael Kintner is the founder of 360 Heros, and he described their method.
“We’re shooting 360, but now we’re doing 3D 360, so you have your left and right eye in each of your configurations,” he said. “This rig has one camera up and one camera down, so that way it completes the sphere so you can see everything in full 360.”
Apa Sherpa has broken his own record of summiting Everest twelve times, reaching the top of the world 21 times in total. But co-producer of the documentary, Jerry Mika, said the film is about much more than that.
“It’s dedication, it’s overcoming adversity, it’s struggle, life, family, it isn’t about one man’s goal to be the world record holder, that wasn’t his goal,” he said.
Sherpa admittedly doesn’t have a good education, which is why he moved his family to Draper so his kids could have a better education. Despite living so far from his hometown, Sherpa goes to Nepal every year to raise awareness about the humanitarian and environmental needs of the region.
“I’m excited that they’re telling my story all over the world," Sherpa said.
Once the film is complete, it’s expected to be released in theaters in 2D, 3D, and 360. Sherpa has been retired since 2011. For more on the Apa Sherpa Foundation, click here.
