Everest At Any Cost

The story

In 1983, three climbers became the first French people to reach the summit of Everest. Among them were expedition leader Pierre Mazeaud and a promising 25-year-old climber, Jean Afanassieff. Twenty years later, the two legends, accompanied by mountain guide Michel Pellé, retrace the steps of their exploit and make the trek from Kathmandu to the foot of the roof of the world. This is an opportunity to retrace the history of the successive assaults on Everest and to assess the current situation of a mountain that has become a victim of its own success: while Sherpas have been able to take advantage of Western enthusiasm and thus enrich themselves and equip the summit to make it more accessible, the site's attendance poses numerous problems, both human and ecological.

Cast

P Pierre MazeaudSelf J Jean AfanassieffSelf M Michel PelléSelf C Christophe DelachatSelf N Nicolas JaegerSelf R Reinhold MessnerSelf (archive footage) E Eric EscoffierSelf (archive footage) E Ed ViestursSelf (archive footage) C Christine JaninSelf (archive footage) A Ang Babu SherpaSelf A Ang Rita SherpaSelf A Ang Dorje SherpaSelf

See more cast

E Edmund HillarySelf (archive footage) T Tenzing NorgaySelf (archive footage) E Erhard LoretanSelf (archive footage) M Michel FauquetSelf (archive footage) S Scott FisherSelf (archive footage) J Jean TroilletSelf (archive footage) S Stéphane SchaffterSelf (archive footage)