View TrailerEnglish and Italian/Basque/Nepalese with English subtitles, 2012, 98 minutes, color, Ireland/United Kingdom, World Documentary
Although K2 is only the second-highest peak in the world, it is renowned as the most dangerous and revered by mountaineers as their ultimate challenge. In August 2008, 18 of 24 climbers reached the summit of K2. Forty-eight hours later, 11 people were dead. What happened on that fateful day has never been resolved.
Utilizing found footage, interviews with survivors, and seamlessly realistic reenactments, The Summit zigzags back and forth in time, interweaving multiple narrative threads and piecing together events, hoping to solve the mystery of what actually happened on that day—the deadliest in mountain-climbing history. At the heart of the mystery is the story of Ger McDonnell, one extraordinary man who chose to risk his own life to save others. With the help of breathtaking cinematography by Robbie Ryan and Stephen O’Reilly, director Nick Ryan creates a tension-filled, experiential film that will have viewers on the edge of their seats. The Summit pits Man against Mother Nature in her most majestic and terrifying extreme. - D. C.
Utilizing found footage, interviews with survivors, and seamlessly realistic reenactments, The Summit zigzags back and forth in time, interweaving multiple narrative threads and piecing together events, hoping to solve the mystery of what actually happened on that day—the deadliest in mountain-climbing history. At the heart of the mystery is the story of Ger McDonnell, one extraordinary man who chose to risk his own life to save others. With the help of breathtaking cinematography by Robbie Ryan and Stephen O’Reilly, director Nick Ryan creates a tension-filled, experiential film that will have viewers on the edge of their seats. The Summit pits Man against Mother Nature in her most majestic and terrifying extreme. - D. C.
About the Director
Director/producer Nick Ryan is a founding director of Image Now Films. In 2006, Ryan wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning short film A Lonely Sky. He followed it with the award-winning short film The German in 2008, which he wrote and directed. Ryan also produced Ruairi Robinson’s short films The Silent City, Blinky, and Imaginary Forces.
Cast and Credits
Director: Nick Ryan
Screenwriter: Mark Monroe
Executive Producers: John Battsek, Pat Falvey, Darrell Kavanagh, John McDonnell
Producer: Nick Ryan
Cinematographers: Robbie Ryan, Stephen O'Reilly
Editor: Ben Stark
Composer: Nick Seymour
Contact: Olivia Leahy / Image Now Films / olivia@imagenow.ie / +353 1 411 3310








