After a short but impactful run in select U.S. theaters, Lucy Walker’s inspiring documentary, “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa,” has arrived on Netflix following its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival 2023.
Lhakpa Sherpa is a trailblazing Nepali mountain climber who made history as the first woman to summit Mount Everest. She has reached the peak of the world’s tallest mountain ten times, more than any other woman. Walker’s feature-length documentary follows Lhakpa as she prepares for her tenth climb in May 2022, providing an intimate look at her journey.
The film explores Lhakpa’s life, revealing the myriad challenges she has faced. Walker skillfully weaves Lhakpa’s personal history with breathtaking shots of the Himalayan landscape. Denied education and work opportunities in Nepal due to her gender, Lhakpa emigrated to the U.S. at 28. There, she survived domestic violence and raised her two daughters, Sunny and Shiny, as a single mother in Connecticut while maintaining her passion for mountaineering.
An Inspirational Journey
The official synopsis of the film reads: “The first Nepali woman to summit and survive Mount Everest, Lhakpa Sherpa devoted her life to inspiring and empowering girls. Now a single mother working at a Whole Foods in Connecticut, she embarks on a dramatic return to the mountain, determined to redeem her life’s purpose and inspire her own daughters.”
Lucy Walker, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker, shared her motivation for telling Lhakpa’s story with Tudum. “Lhakpa is an astounding, phenomenal woman, and her story is larger than life. I love weaving together the summits of her life with the summits of her climbing career. She is an incredible mountain climber, and I wanted to give a big-budget sports movie a female character for a change.”
Walker further explained, “One guiding principle of this film was to take a wider view of what it means to climb. The mountainous metaphor became part of our visual storytelling — not just the literal mountain, but the emotional mountain, the mountains of the mind and heart.”
A Story of Everyday Heroes
Producer Dalia Burde, founder of Avocados and Coconuts, emphasized the inspirational aspect of Lhakpa’s story: “It has been an honor to tell Lhakpa’s breathtaking story. It reminds us that there are heroes living amongst us, the person next to you on the subway, driving the Uber, or cleaning the dishes at a local Whole Foods. I have been inspired by her every day since this project began and I cannot wait for the world to meet Lhakpa and see what resilience truly means.”
A Must-Watch on Netflix
Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa is a stirring portrait of a woman who has defied all odds to achieve greatness. The documentary not only highlights Lhakpa’s incredible mountaineering achievements but also underscores her role as an inspiration and advocate for women and girls worldwide. With its stunning cinematography and powerful storytelling, this film is a must-watch for anyone looking for an inspiring and uplifting story.