Killer Slope

(unofficial title)
  • Netherlands Hemelbestormers
all posters
? %
Netherlands, 2014, 110 min

Plots(1)

What possesses mountaineers to undertake perilous expeditions? More and more of them are making the news when yet another avalanche takes their lives, causing the public to wonder whether the sport is worth the risk. Killer Slope follows a Dutch team of 12 climbers as they prepare to master the seventh highest mountain in the world – previously, two Dutchmen lost their lives on this Himalayan slope. While the rivalry between renowned Dutch expedition leaders is widely publicized in TV talk shows, the climbers must rely on themselves at an altitude of 6,000 meters (20,000 feet). The overwhelming beauty of the mountains, the scenery and the sunrises have no effect on the continuous risks: avalanches and snowstorms are threatening the success of the expedition at every moment. Should you wait for the team or sprint to the top? Just how self-centered are these mountaineers, and which rules apply during such a risky venture? The climbers are filmed up close in their snowbound tents, and we bear witness to their dilemmas, egos, deception and euphoria in this varied and fascinating exploration. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)

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