Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Jennifer Peedom’s Everest epic Tenzing starring Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe will open the 22nd Zurich Film Festival next month.
Bringing the story of one of mountaineering’s greatest achievements to the Swiss event, the Apple Original Films drama will receive its European premiere in Zurich on September 24, with Jennifer, Tom and Willem due to appear on the green carpet.
The film tells the story of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary’s historic 1953 ascent of Mount Everest, with Genden Phuntsok playing Tenzing and Tom portraying the New Zealand mountaineer.
It is due to open in select US theaters on October 9 before arriving on Apple TV on October 16.
Zurich Film Festival director Christian Jungen said: “This year’s Zurich Film Festival motto is ‘dream big’. Our breathtaking opening film Tenzing fits perfectly, because it shows how you can grow beyond yourself when you have a big dream.”
He added: “The film offers powerful emotion and mountain scenery of sublime beauty. But it also carries an important message for our time – the first ascent of Mount Everest only succeeded because the climbers respected the local Sherpa people and the laws of nature.”
Jennifer, whose previous films include the acclaimed mountaineering documentary Sherpa and Mountain, said: “At its heart, Tenzing is about a man who dared to imagine a life beyond the limits the world had placed on him, and the courage, sacrifice and belief it took to reach the highest point on earth. The spirit of ‘dream big’ feels incredibly fitting.”
The true-life drama centers on Tenzing, a gifted Himalayan climber, and Edmund as they attempt to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain, 8,849 metres above sea level.
Genden, whose previous credits include Jinpa, takes the title role, while Outlander star Caitríona Balfe, plays expedition secretary Jill Henderson.
And Thinley Lhamo portrays Tenzing’s wife Dawa, who encourages his ambitions.
The film explores the sharply different attitudes towards Everest among those making the dangerous journey.
While the Western climbers view reaching its summit as a conquest, Tenzing regards ‘Chomolungma’ –the traditional Tibetan name for Mount Everest, meaning ‘Goddess Mother of the World’ – as a sacred maternal spirit, with the expedition exposing divisions involving class, background and ambition as well as the physical dangers of the mountain.
For Tom, Tenzing arrives during another high-profile year.
The British actor remains best known internationally as Loki, the Marvel character he first played in Thor before appearing in The Avengers, the Thor sequels, the Avengers films and his Disney+ series Loki.
He is now preparing to return as the character in Avengers: Doomsday, the Russo brothers-directed Marvel blockbuster scheduled for December 18.
The huge ensemble also includes Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom alongside returning Marvel stars including Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan.
Willem, meanwhile, has built a career spanning more than four decades, including Platoon, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Florida Project and his role as Norman Osborn – aka the Green Goblin – opposite Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man.
Tenzing, written by Luke Davies, is produced by Liz Watts, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Jennifer, Luke and Desray Armstrong, with Norbu Tenzing, Simon Gillis and David Michôd serving as executive producers.
