Apple TV+ Film 'Tenzing' Reframes Mount Everest Ascent Through Sherpa's Eyes

The new biographical drama "Tenzing," now streaming on Apple TV+, aims to re-center the narrative of the 1953 Mount Everest climb, highlighting the Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay as its central figure. The film stars Genden Phuntsok as Norgay, alongside Tom Hiddleston as Edmund Hillary and Willem Dafoe as expedition leader John Hunt. This approach offers a counterpoint to the expedition's historical framing as primarily a British triumph.

"Tenzing" draws heavily from Ed Douglas's 2003 biography "Tenzing: Hero of Everest." Douglas makes a brief appearance in the film. To ensure authenticity, director Jennifer Peedom, who has a long history of documenting the Sherpa people, enlisted consultants Dr. Lhakpa Norbu Sherpa and Dr. Nima Namgyal Sherpa. They worked with the actors on the native Sherpa language and to accurately portray the Sherpa culture and their significant contributions to mountaineering.

"It’s very significant that Tenzing’s story is being told," Dr. Nima Namgyal Sherpa stated in press notes. "It’s going to help more people learn about the Sherpa people, how crucial their role is on the mountain, and how hard they work to help others to achieve their dreams and goals, risking their own lives to earn a livelihood on the mountain."

Norgay's eldest son, Norbu Tenzing, president of the American Himalayan Foundation, served as an executive producer and was involved in the project for a decade. "Jen is somebody we trust and have unconditional faith in," Norbu Tenzing said. "She understands Sherpa culture, she understands our religion, she understands our customs, and above all, she has a great deal of respect for our people."

Other members of the Norgay family, including his sons Jamling and Tashi, and daughter Deki, also contributed to the film's accuracy and attended its premiere. Jamling Tenzing expressed a desire to highlight his father "as a father and as a person," noting that while Tenzing is famous for climbing Everest, "many people don’t know who Tenzing Norgay Sherpa was — the simple, humble man behind the legend."

The film's portrayal of the summit day reflects Tenzing Norgay's own account from his 1955 autobiography. While accounts sometimes varied on who reached the summit first, Norgay clarified that Hillary stepped onto the peak first, followed by himself. "We went on slowly, steadily. And then we were there. Hillary stepped on top first. And I stepped up after him," Norgay wrote, adding, "Now the truth is told. And I am ready to be judged by it."

Tenzing Norgay was born in Tibet and later moved to Nepal. The Sherpa people, indigenous to the Himalayan regions of Nepal, India, and Tibet, have a deep-rooted history in mountaineering and often serve as guides for expeditions on Mount Everest, known to them as “Chomolungma.”

Norbu Tenzing commented on Genden Phuntsok's performance, stating, "Genden is a manifestation of my father. Genden is a very special human being, and he reflects the spirit of who my father was."