Summit Fever (2022) - full transcript

Doing good.

Yeah.

Keep going. Yeah.

Just on the left.

Left foot where your knee is.

Ugh... Agh... Huh!

Fuck!

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

You okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.

Slipped on the hold.

Cogs beat the shit out
of me, man.



Almost had it.
Yeah.

Nice one.

Ah, you made it look easy.

There's not a hundred people
in this country

that could have made
that move, man.

You're climbing two grades
better than last time.

Yeah.

Did I tell you I got
a few sponsors looking at me?

Yeah?
Yeah.

To climb out in Chamonix, man.

If I can make enough noise
this summer, they should bite.

Nice one, man.

Got a couple of interviews
lined up.

Planning on posting
some big routes.



Yeah? Like what?

Like what?

Like Matterhorn,

Eiger

and the south face
of Mont Blanc.

Ah, the big three.

It's quite an ask.
Yep.

Which is why I need
my climbing partner.

Ah, I can't, man.
Even if I wanted to.

The internship starts on
Monday. You know that.

Oh, yeah. Insurance, right?

It's just temporary.

It's gonna be temporary
for the next 50 years, man,

if you're not careful.

Come on. Term's over.

This is our last
real summer holiday.

Ever.

You can worry about next year
next year.

What do you say?

Suit and tie...

or ice ax and crampons?

Twenty-two years on this planet,
you still can't tie a tie.

Label's sticking out.
Smarten up.

You've got
a real opportunity here.

Fit in.

Keep up.

Ah, David.

This is my son, Michael.

All right, son, how you doing?

Give him the tour, would you?

See that?

Six grands' worth of kettle.

Shoes, another bag.

Whistle, three large.

See the Porsche outside?
That's mine, innit.

I'm walking round this place with a
hundred grand wrapped round me.

You know how I got it?
On the fucking phones.

This is you.

Now, pick up the phone
and dream big.

Carol, where's that latte?

I'd love to have
a minute of your time.

Hello.

How we doing, boy?
What we got?

That should have been done
about 1:00. Yeah, but it's my first day.

Don't really care, buddy.
I know.

Don't really care.
Fake it till you make it.

Any other cliché you want, mate.

Hey, Mikey, Mikey!

Just want you to see
what you're missing out here.

Look at that!
Yee-hoo-hoo!

Mm?

All right.

High pressure moving in.

One mountain, one week.

You'll be back in front of your
computer before you're even missed.

I do appreciate you didn't
break into your own house.

Yeah, right, mate. Yeah, yeah.

Aaah, Mikey! There he is!

A postcard?

Ah, man, what, you traveled
back in time to get this?

1984. I knew
it would get your attention.

A text would have been fine.

You ignore my texts, man.

All right, guys,
a couple of quick intros.

Michael, say hi to Natascha.
Natascha, say hi to Michael.

Hey.
American?

Canadian.
Yep.

But don't get any ideas.

'Cause this is Leo,
her boyfriend.

He's a climbing guide.

Alps, Andes,
wherever you wanna die, man.

'Sup?
Not Canadian.

California. Make a lot more money
here than back home in the Sierra.

Well, Mr. Moneybags...

And this is Rudi.
He's a snowboarder.

He should turn pro
any day now, yeah?

Yeah, and then I can kiss
my day job goodbye.

I need money, bro.
Gimme your watch, hmm?

Ah.
Uh-huh.

A review on Tripadvisor

called me "a fucking prick".

A review we can all trust.

Ha, fuck you!

It was my proudest moment.
So what?

Yeah.

All right, brother,
how long have I got you?

Five days.
It's the best I could do, man.

Any longer and I'm out of a job.

All right, finish up,
girls and boys.

Let's go climbing.
'Bout time.

Let's go!

Wait. What, what, what, now?
Yeah.

Man, I've just driven 500 miles.
I've hardly slept.

What are you, like, 40?

We need to get you
acclimatized, man!

Come on.
This is it, Mikey!

Grab your kit, man.

We take the telecabin
in 20 minutes, all right?

Uh...
Ha ha!

You're in Chamonix, baby!

Climbed anything of note
out here, Michael?

It's my first time in the Alps.

Fledgling, huh?
Guess you must like babysitting.

Ah, Michael can handle himself.

He put up a new route
on the Orion Face.

Orion Face?
Never heard of it.

It's on Ben Nevis.

I did Scotland once.
Never again.

Who the hell climbs
in weather like that?

Yeah, well, any fool can
climb when the sun's out.

We'll see.

I can feel the altitude.

I mean, come on.

You just ascended a third of
Mount Everest in 20 minutes.

Push through, man. Couple of
days, you won't even notice it.

Ah, au revoir, motherfuckers!

Yee-hoo!
Be safe.

Au revoir.
Tres bien.

Hey! Isa.

Hey, Michael, this is
Isabelle. She's one of us.

Not much of a climber, though.

And you're not much of a skier.

Ooh.

First day?

Yeah.

I can see that.

He's used to climbing molehills
in Scotland.

And Wales.

And Wales.
Yeah, he's just finding out

what thin air tastes like,
that's all.

We're gonna see how the
Englishman copes at altitude.

All righty.
Well, good luck and be safe.

- You too.
- Thanks.

Hey, this is slow, Michael.
Even for you. Come on.

I haven't acclimatized yet.
Gimme a break.

Don't get used to
these baby rocks, Michael.

You won't find them
on the Matterhorn.

Shit.
Well, I'd better go home then.

Too late, baby!
I got you now.

Whoo-hoo!

Hey, honey,
JP's climbing faster than you.

If he tries to pass you,
push him off.

I'll say it was an accident.

All right, let's go.

Hey, Michael,

look beneath your feet, man!

Yee-hoo-hoo!

Wait, wait, wait, wait!

Yeah!

That's a keeper, my friend.

You don't wanna wait
for JP and Michael?

I need a beer.

There's no bar up here
last I checked.

They'll catch up.
Okay.

Well, age before beauty.

Mwah.

Come on, Mikey.
Last few steps. Almost there.

Heh heh, yeah!

Yeah.

Whoo-hoo!

Welcome to the asylum
above 4,000 meters!

You nutter, huh?

Worth bleeding for?

That's the altitude, man.

Worth bleeding for.

Yeah.

This is only
the beginning, mate.

Come on. We're gonna miss
the last lift.

Ah, we'll make it!

Yeah, you might.

He looks fried.

Well, I made it
to the top, didn't I?

Yeah, and it beat the crap
out of you in the process.

The Dent's a training climb.

There's no skills required,
just big fat ropes.

Did you shit yourself while you were up
there, Michael? You need a fresh diaper?

No, I already went. I'll save
you one for the Matterhorn.

I love a good dick-measuring
contest. I'll just get mine out.

Ugh, please don't.

And you can put yours back in
your pants for now, Leo, okay?

Okay, okay.

Hey, don't worry about him.

The locals take a while
to warm up. That's all.

He's about as local as I am.

Well, he's not French.

But this is Chamonix.

The only way to be one
is to put in the time.

He's earned it.

Oh, right.
Thank you, Laura.

Mmm.

Ah, man.

Who was that?

Mm. A client.

Like, just because I
laugh at one of his jokes,

he thinks it's a come on.

I would.
I know you would,

you little pig.

Oh, ho ho! Okay.

Salut, Michael.
Salut.

Merci.

Santé.
Santé. Santé.

So, what are we doing tomorrow?

I'm working tomorrow.

Leo's guiding. Uh... Oh.

What about you, Isa?

What?

I'm doing nothing. Why?

Why don't you take
Michael skiing, hmm?

He should get into the
glacier every chance he gets.

I need him acclimatized
for the Matterhorn.

Do you ski well? Well, you're not
gonna have to babysit me or anything.

I won't. Keep up.

Ooh...

Okay.

Okay, yes.

Hello.

Mm.
Is that a Super 8?

Yeah.

Late '70s model.

I just love the images.

Soft and imperfect.

There is no romance
with digital.

You want to have a try?
Sure.

You just have to squeeze
the trigger there

and you're rolling.
Okay.

Hello!

Me?
Yes, you.

I'm camera shy.

I don't know what to do.

Oh, are you now?

I am.

Mm.

So, what's the deal
with you and Jean Pierre?

Are you like, uh...

Like?
You know, dating or...

Well, we're good friends.

He's like a brother
to me now, you know.

What do you mean now?

You have so many questions!

I... Uh...

Well, yeah, we've been dating.

Like two or three years ago.

And, actually,
he was my first love.

Right.

Why?

Are you jealous, Michael?

Course not.

Liar.

Jesus.

- Poor bastards.
- Come August,

they'll be dying
almost every day out here.

Nice one.

Yeah, man.

The face is pretty loose.

Yeah. It will settle.

Plenty of good ice
further up the route.

He's fast!

Definitely better than us.

Yeah, he's in
a different league.

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

Man, that's Damien Roux.
The guy's a movie star here.

Yeah, he's pretty insane.

Oh, man, look at that!

That's climbing.
All right.

I'll take the next pitch.

You sure?
Yeah!

All right.
But don't hang about.

I wanna be on the summit
long before sunset, okay?

Agh!

Yeah, we made it, man!

Yep.

Whoo! Well done.

Whoo-hoo!

Yes!

Lucy would love this.

Your sister could have led that

with one hand
tied behind her back, man.

Yeah.

This should have been
her mountain.

Why do you think
I sent the postcard, eh?

Oh, okay.

I'm gutted she never
made it out here.

But you did.

That counts for something.

Yeah.

Yep.

You want a picture?

No.

This is enough.

Hell yeah.

Leo reckons the weather's
breaking for the Eiger.

There's gonna be a window
in the next couple of days, man.

Don't start.
You just climbed

the north face
of the Matterhorn.

You can do this.

I'm so tempted.

Stay one more day at least.

You know, we're heading to
the Valley Noir in Italy tomorrow.

Yeah. It's kind of
a tradition we have

to mark the summer solstice.

I know. You've said.

And it's the last chance
to ski the glacier.

I've skied the glacier.

Not like this, my friend.
Not like this.

Look, I'd love to,
but I've gotta go.

I can't miss that ferry.

Yeah.

She likes you I think.

Who?
You know who.

We went skiing, Jean Pierre,
that's all.

Chamonix gossips, my friend.
We went skiing!

Chamonix gossips!
We went skiing!

Ooh, it's baking down here now.

Yeah.
Must be 80/85.

Gotta stop talking in
Fahrenheit. No one understands!

Yes, please, sir.

And feet.

Why do you use feet, bro?

Yep.
I don't get it.

Meters and Celsius, honey.

- Okay, it's fucking hot, man.
- Better.

But it's still cool up high.

That's what matters.
Oui.

Yo!

Hey, Mikey! There he is!

- You good?
- Ca va?

Aha!

What about your job?

Ah, I'll get fired.

What about your father?

Well, he told me
to follow my dreams.

Whoa, he actually said that?

No, he called me
a cunt and hung up.

Ah.. Well, life's
not over yet my friend.

You're surfing. Hm?

Yo!

You coming up?

Ah, no, I didn't bring any skis.

I just came to say hi.

No way, man.

You can't miss this ride.

You brought a spare pair?

Thanks, man. You haven't
seen what we're skiing yet.

Exactly!

I'm ready. Whoo!
On y va.

A ce soir.

Whoo-hoo!

Michael!

Ca va?

Whoo!

Whoo-hoo!

Allez!

Whoo-hoo!

Come on, Michael!

Oh, shit!

Shit!

Oh, shit!

Oh, fuck.

Michael!

You made a left
through the ice tunnel?

Isabelle told me.
That's fucking nuts, man!

Yeah, it was a wrong
turn. No, no, no.

It's only a wrong turn if you
don't make it out, right?

Did you hear about this?

He was skiing like he was
Roger Moore or some shit.

Heard he went full-on
View to a Kill up there.

Almost like he's one
of our own. Aw, Leo.

Anybody who climbs the north
face of the Matterhorn in one day

gets my vote.

Well, it was pretty messy, okay?

It can be messy.

It's a big fucking tick, man.

And that's all you're getting.

I'll take it.

I bet that was hard for him.

Well, he sees a lot of fresh faces
come up to Chamonix, Michael.

All gear and no idea.

You can't just expect him

to welcome you in
with open arms.

Yeah.
Gotta earn that.

I think you just did.

Really?
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Oh, we all love you, Michael.

But I don't think I'm the girl you
should be talking to right now.

Go get 'em, tiger.

Hello.

You look, uh,
you look good tonight.

Only tonight?

N... Not just tonight.

I'm sorry, I've, uh,
I've had a few beers.

Wow, you really know
how to make a girl feel special.

No, come on.
That's not what I meant.

You know what I meant.
So what did you mean?

Well, I said it before,
that you look...

You look beautiful.

You got anything else
than I'm beautiful?

It's a bit lousy.
Okay.

Okay, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Uh... Mm...

It was really special
skiing with you today.

And what was so special
about skiing with me?

The chase.

And what do you plan to do
if you got me?

Hmm?

So, why did you come back?

Well, 'cause I wanted to climb
and help JP realize his dream.

Mm. That's the only reason
you stayed?

Well, it's not the only reason.

So?

Are you really gonna
make me say it?

Yeah.

Because I wanted to see you.

And I thought that maybe...

Mm...

Mm...

Good morning.

Did you sleep well?

Mmm...

Mmm...

I'm going for a swim.

Isn't it a bit cold?

No.

Ooh la la!

It's good!

Yeah?

Hey...
Hey!

So we're holding hands now?

Ah. You can let go
anytime.

Then put it through the till
like any other bar beer.

That's pretty much it.
Got it.

It's a boring job but pays
enough to get up to the glacier.

That's all that
really matters, right?

Yep.

There he is!
With a whole new career.

How did it go, lover boy?

All right, you don't
have to say a word.

How's working with Béa?

Yeah, she's cool.
Yeah, she's cool, man.

She's playing the same game
as the rest of us.

Just waiting to become
the next big thing.

How good is she?

Man, she was hot
for a little while.

Then her sponsor
got a crush on someone new.

Someone crazier.

She's gotta up her game though.
Bust some big-ass routes.

Just like you, right?

Ah, Mikey, Mikey.

You know, if you stay
in your comfort zone,

you'll stay here behind this
shitty bar for the rest of your life.

Come on. You know, this
life-and-death business

is very fickle.

It's Damien Roux.
Hey, turn this up, would you?

Yeah, Damien!

Yeah, my man!

Yes.

Harder ground's
not stopping him.

He'll need to slow down
on the crux pitch.

There's no shortcuts.

Holy crap!

This guy is nuts.

Wait, lemme see.

Wait.
Lemme see!

Damien, you legend!

Turn the music off!

Turn the music off now!

Turn the goddamn
fucking music off!

Don't make me
come up there, asshole!

Hero amongst
the climbing fraternity,

veteran of the Alps,

Damien Roux has been killed

attempting a new speed record

on the route Divine Providence
on Mont Blanc.

He is the latest victim
in a string of accidents

to take place in the Alps
this summer.

One moment he was just
picking it to shreds,

unlocking all these moves
and then...

I feel sick.

I feel a lot of things.

Surprise ain't one of them.

Dance music, a fucking DJ?

It wasn't climbing,
it was a freak show

set up by his sponsors demanding
bigger, bolder, scarier routes.

That's what
we all came to see, Leo.

They pushed him too hard, man.

You saw those slick moves
and the flashy touches.

That's showboating.
No.

Damien is a legend.
One of a kind.

Yeah, you keep telling a man
that, he'll start to believe you.

Vanity is a deadly thing
to bring into these mountains.

Come in!

- Hello, hello!
- Hey!

Cold snap's kicked out a good dusting
of snow on the Bernese Oberland.

Folks round Interlaken reckon
the Eiger's gonna play ball.

Yeah? She's in condition?

About as good as
you're gonna get right now.

If you want it perfect,
wait till November.

Let's do this!

Michael?

We took 16 hours
on the Matterhorn.

We could have done it in ten.
The Eiger's twice the size.

You heard what he just said.
We might not get another chance.

That's a risk that could end in
disappointment, not... not death, JP.

This is not about the Eiger.

It's about Damien Roux.

You know why he's dead, Michael?

'Cause free solo climbers

don't live to a ripe old age.

That's just
a cold, hard fact of life.

No ropes, no partner.

Just a matter of time.

Me? I'd like to get back to some
good, old-fashioned mountaineering.

Put yesterday behind us.
Thank you.

Yo.

That's what separates
him and us.

And I'll be at the end
of that rope,

babysitting you as always.

And just remember, Michael,

yes or no is the right answer.

I won't climb with you
on a maybe.

You make your decision,
we'll back you either way.

Hey, Michael.

Hello.
Hey.

It's not so bad here.

No, best hotel in Chamonix.

And how is your room service?

You're looking at it.

Mm, cup of tea?

No, no, no, I don't drink tea.

I'm not one of
your English girls, Michael.

Okay.

Mm. In the backpack.

The real gourmet stuff.

But I see something interesting.

Mm-hmm-hmm.
Let's have a look.

Oh, put a in.

That's a strong look.

I was young.

Oh, who's this?

She's very pretty.

Should I be jealous?

That's Lucy, my sister.

Mmm.

You do look a bit alike.

Same big, bright eyes.

Did I say something wrong?

Uh, nothing.

She's not with us anymore.

Okay. I'm so sorry.

If you want, we can
talk about something else.

It's okay.

Uh, I don't mind.

Are you sure?

Usually, uh, I can't stand
talking about her.

I can barely even think
about her without...

But out here, it's strange.

It's like she's with us.

I know it sounds silly.
No, it's not.

So, she was a climber too?
Yeah.

A good one.

When my mum died,

my dad...

kinda went off the deep end.

He was pretty horrible
to be around.

Still is.

Her solution was
to take us climbing.

So, she got you hooked.

She did.

When you climb,

it's like...

nothing else exits.

You know, there's no room
for bullshit, grief, pain.

Only the present.

The next move.

And what happened to her?

We were on a climb in Scotland,
and the weather turned.

Total whiteout.

It... It was... It was scary.

When we got back
to the car park,

we were so buzzed that we'd made
it back that we had a couple of beers.

Just a couple.

Take the edge off, you know.

She was in such a rush
to get home.

She wanted to drive.

I just had this... feeling.

Like something bad
was gonna happen.

And I did nothing.

Michael, get down!

Ah, fuck!

Fuck.

Michael! You all right?

Yeah.

Hey, hey, get in!

Whoa.

The face is falling
to fucking bits.

The sun is warming up the face,
melting the ice.

All that compacted rock's
come loose.

We need to stop climbing now.
Bivvy at the Swallow's Nest.

See how it is tomorrow.

Oh, my God.
All right now, you got this.

Just get to me.

All right, honey,
I'm right here.

I'm right here.

Okay.
Quick as you can.

Hey!

Hey, honey...

All right, get to me.

I got you!
Right, recover!

Gimme some slack!

Come on.
Okay.

All right.

Oh, my God!
That was close.

I'm sorry for freaking out.

No, no, it's crazy.
It's still coming.

JP, Michael, come in.

Yep, Leo.

How are you two doing?
We're at Death Bivvy,

about to turn in
for the night. You?

We're at Swallow's Nest.

Could've gotten further,
but there's a lot of rockfall,

and we don't need to push it
right now.

Yeah, it gets worse higher up.

It's too warm,
there's not enough ice.

It's choppy as fuck.

Yeah, but should be fine
if we get moving early enough.

It's your call, Leo.
What are you thinking?

I mean, Natascha and I
are above all the problems now.

We should be able to summit
pretty easily tomorrow.

You guys still got all that
bad shit in front of ya.

Do you suggest a retreat?
Over.

Come on, man, he isn't
saying that. What the fuck?

If you wanna go for the summit,
you gotta keep your foot down.

Hit the face
before the sun comes up.

Exactly what we're
planning to do, Leo.

What are you doing? It's a
fucking blitzkrieg on the ice fields.

Get them off the damn thing.

Hey, guys, you're still
close enough to Railway Tunnel.

You might wanna consider
a retreat

while you're still
in a position to do so.

Fine, yes, we will.

Stay safe.

Always. We'll meet you in
Kleine Scheidegg tomorrow night

for a beer
no matter what you decide.

Sure thing,
sure thing. Out.

It's gotta be their choice.

Do you think they'll turn back?

Did we?

- A lot colder than yesterday.
- Yeah.

Face looks pretty good.
Yeah.

So, up or down?

I don't know, man.

Ah...

Couple hours and we
could be having breakfast

with the best view
in Switzerland.

Eggs, bacon, coffee.

Come on, man. I didn't come this
far to eat eggs and fucking bacon!

Now, come on, at least let's
try a couple more pitches.

See how it plays out.

So...

up or down?

More like it.

It looks loose.

Not so bad.

Small steps.

All right. Come on.
Come across, man.

Michael! Watch out!

Oh, fuck!

Michael! Get over here!

Hurry the fuck up, man!

Hurry up!

Michael!
Come on, man!

Come on, come on, come on!

Forget the fucking ice screw
and get over here! Hurry!

Michael! Get down!

Michael!

No!

Michael!

Michael!

Michael.

Michael!

Can you reach the face?

I can't get it, man!

Ah, fuck.

Try your ice axes!

I can't reach!

Ah, fuck!

Put a in! Merde!

All right! Hold on!

I'll rig a hoist!

Vite, vite, vite, vite, vite.

Allez, vite, vite, vite.

I can't get it!

I got you, brother!

Fuck.

I'm calling mountain rescue.

I'm all right. I'm not too bad.

I'm okay.

Yeah, I'm okay, I'm okay.

Natascha, Leo,
lost to the Eiger.

We're all grieving.

The respect you commanded
was indisputable.

As was the love.

We can all go crazy trying to
figure out what happened up there.

Was it a slip?

Was it a rockfall?

Did their gear fail?

The truth is, we'll never know.

But what we know

is that you guys
were together at the end.

Whoo!
We love you!

And we're fucking thankful
for that.

Yeah. Yeah!

And now, we raise our glasses,

Yeah! and we drink the
biggest fucking toast we can!

To you guys!

Leo!

Natascha!

We fucking love you!

We fucking love you!

Can you reach the top?
Can you reach the top?

We fucking love you!

We love you, guys!

I just don't understand.

They're all laughing and
drinking as if nothing happened.

It just doesn't feel right.

Wakey, wakey!

Ah!

You ready?

For what?

Climbing. Come on.

Are you serious?

Two of your best friends have
just been put in the ground.

This is how we honor them.

Come on. Grab your harness,
get your gear.

Five minutes.

Hey, what's going on?

Low-Lower me down, man.

Why?
Lower me down!

What the fuck happened up there?

Look, I'm not in the mood
for honoring anyone today.

Hey, what's the matter?

What's the matter?

This place is insane.

People are dropping like flies.

Yeah, well, next summer,
it will be the same, man.

Leo and Natascha may have died,
but they died doing what they loved,

doing what they lived for.
Doing what they loved?

Are you serious?

They died screaming,
Jean Pierre.

Don't you get it?

That's why
we come back out here.

When we climb,
they're right here with us.

They're alive again.
Don't you feel it?

Come on, you...
You can't quit now.

Not when we're this close.

The Eiger said no.

Fine, we have to respect that.

So we move on
to the White Mountain.

I'm afraid.

I know you're afraid.

I'm afraid too.

But everything we ever wanted
is on the other side of fear.

I'm doing this with or
without you, Michael.

So make a decision.

I'm not sharing my headstone
with some mountain, JP.

I can't do it.

- Ca va?
- Comment allez-vous?

Mm-hmm.

Jean Pierre told me
that you're out now.

Yeah, it's over.
Done.

I was thinking that maybe...
we could take your car.

Just get away from here.

Be our chance to be alone
and be ourselves.

Merci.

Nine days,

that's all we have left,
and I have to leave, you know.

I hate that.

We get together,

then life gets in the way.

It doesn't have to.
Yeah, but it always does.

Doesn't it?

Come Christmas,

we would have gone
our separate ways

and you won't even know
what the fuck I look like.

This self-pitying drunk act,

it's boring.

Yeah.
Yeah, it doesn't suit you.

That's not who you are.

That's not who I am?
Mm-mmm.

I've known you
for seven fucking days.

You don't...
You don't know who I am.

I don't even know
who I fucking am, okay?

Enjoy.

See ya later.

Hey! Hey!

One of the stars of the future,
Jean Pierre Bourdain.

I hear you've got something pretty
special lined up for later in the summer.

Ooh, yeah. Well, I've seen a new
line on the Central Pillar of Frêney.

Reckon we'll give it
a push, you know.

Just gotta worry what I'm gonna
name it, that's all.

Shh! Shh!

Damien Roux
was tragically killed

attempting a new record
on Divine Providence.

How has his death affected
the climbing community?

We're all bleeding, you know.

Damien was the best.
Hands down.

You know,
the way he was climbing,

the way he was living his life,

he's just one of
my biggest inspirations, really.

Do you reckon you might be looking
to set some speed records of your own

in the next couple of years?
Ah, come on. Yeah, of course.

Well, if I can attract some sponsors, stay
in mountain, keep on training every day...

You know, anything's possible,
right? Watch this space.

Absolutely, man, come on.

Wait, wait, wait, wait!

Say hello to my new
climbing partners!

Well, mate, look,
best of luck for the future,

and I'll see you guys very soon.

We're gonna climb that, baby.

Open your eyes, we are
the stars today.

Whoo!

I just wanted to say that I...

What?

I probably deserved that.

And I can hit a lot harder.
You got off lightly.

Did I?
Mm-hmm.

Because I like you.

You like me?

Not right now.

You're insensitive,
you're a drunk. Dumb connard.

That's all you are.

Canard?
Yeah, connard.

I'm a... I mean...

I'm a duck?

No. Asshole.

Yeah.

I already knew that.

Okay.

Get in.

Oh, you smell so bad!

I can't... Oh, put a in! Oh, no.

Mmm!

You smell like a vat of
wine. It's disgusting. Yeah?

Yeah.
Yeah.

Go brush your teeth. Oh!

Go brush your teeth.

Please, go.
Okay.

You thought a bit more about
what we were saying?

You know, you and me
getting off a few days.

I did, yeah.

And?

I need to go and see JP.

About what?

Mont Blanc.

But you said you were finished.

I'm his climbing partner,
Isabelle. What do you want?

Well, from what I heard,
you've been replaced.

With Béa and Rudi?
Mmm.

They're not good enough.

He's not thinking straight.

I don't know, just...

Maybe you could...

just talk him out of it,
you know?

For me?

He won't listen.

You know that.

He's climbing that white
mountain no matter what.

That's his choice.

You know he's obsessional
and unbending.

I can't believe I'm so stupid.

Once again...

none of us stood a chance
against this place.

I owe him.

For what?

He was there for me
when I needed him most.

Okay? He... He...

He took me climbing,
he kept me busy,

he kept me sane.

And now
he's going to get you killed.

Lucy died because I did nothing.

I'm not gonna let that happen
to my best friend, too. No.

Let's push.

Come on.

Yep, come on. I don't have
all day, man. Come on.

He's not so bad.

Yeah, well, it's only a 6c man.

Should be running up that thing!
Hey, Rudi, you're shit.

Come on, right foot.

I want back in.

Now you change your mind.

Yeah, only because
I know you won't.

JP said you froze up
climbing Maladiere.

Yeah, well, I wasn't feeling it.

You want us to put our lives
on the line for how you feel?

No.

Just him.

You wanna tie in? Hmm?

Not bad. Not bad.

He's fast.

Hardly the south face
of Mont Blanc, is it?

He's really fucking fast.

You may come in useful
after all.

Let's go and knock
this bastard off.

Looking good! Moving fast! Hey.
Yeah.

Feeling good, man.

Oh.

Oh!

- What the fuck?
- Oh!

Guys! We've got a pair
of jokers above us.

What the fuck are these idiots
playing at?

They've been kicking rocks down
on us the whole fucking time, huh?

You shouldn't be here, assholes!

Merci, put a in!

Ahi. Ahi.

Okay. Uno.

Tre! Ah!

Tino!

Attenzione!

Look out!

Béa!

Béa!

Béa! Stay calm, Béa, okay?

Stay calm!

Béa! Béa!

Gimme some slack!
Yeah!

JP! Yeah, I'm here!
I'm here, I'm here.

I'm with you, I'm with you.

Give me rope.

Okay, coming! Coming!

It's okay, it's okay.
I'm with you.

I'm coming!

I'm coming.
I'm coming, baby.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Show me. Wha...

Look at me. Look at me. Okay.

Don't look. Don't look.

Don't look, okay?
Can you move it?

I got you. Béa, I got you.

Here, take these. Béa,
take these. Ibuprofen?

It's not much, but it should
take the edge off, okay?

Okay, hey. Easy, easy.

We're gonna call the rescue and
we're gonna have dinner tonight.

Okay? Easy. Don't worry.

The storm has
changed course. Yeah?

It's gonna be here
within the hour.

Coming in from the west. Shit.

Means we won't see it
till it hits.

Did you call Mountain Rescue?

They're sending a party on foot

but they have to come
up from Courmayeur. Fuck.

They won't get here
until tomorrow.

Well, then we retreat.

We dig in at the Eccles
shelter and we wait.

No, we cannot turn back, man.

That's exactly what
we're gonna do, Jean Pierre.

Climb's over.
Michael,

right below us
is the Frêney Glacier,

worst avalanche black spot
on the whole massif.

- Yeah.
- Half an hour of snow is all it needs.

No, we bivvy on the face.

Wait for the storm to pass.

That's it.

Shit!

What is it?

The rescue team are holed up
at the Messina heart.

They can't continue.

They're gonna
wait out the storm.

Should pass in a few hours.

It's another avalanche.
A big one.

Okay, there is no way down now.

Isabelle.

One, two, three.

One kilometer away!

I can't...
I can't feel my fingers.

Give me your hand.
I got you.

Okay.

Merde!
Put a in!

That's it.
That's all our fucking water!

All of it!
All of it gone!

Shut the fuck up.

Shut the fuck up!
Shut the fuck up!

Both of you!
It's gone, okay?

We're sitting on a giant
lightning conductor,

we need to get
the hell out of here. Now!

A rescue team will come.

In this?

They're playing cards
in a cozy little hut

3,000 feet south of here,
and you're stalling.

If we don't make
a decision now, we die.

The only way down is up.

Look, we climb to the top
of the Pillar.

We follow the ridge
to the summit

and then we get to the
Vallot Hut and we dig in.

Okay?
Come on.

Two hundred meters
in this storm?

It's fucking suicide, man!
Béa has hypothermia!

We don't have enough time.
You cannot climb!

Not in this!
No, you can't!

You can't climb it!
Fuck you! For fuck's sake!

Listen. Three years ago,
Cairngorms,

we got caught in all
fucking hell and I led us out.

Yeah. Yeah, he's right.
He's right.

He led us out.

You have to trust me.

Rudi, I can do this.

Huh?

Rescue party?
Are you the rescue party?

There is no rescue party!
It's just us.

What happened?

Took a fall.

Broke his leg.
Frost bite.

What about you?

One of us has a broken arm.

You dropped a rock the size
of a house on us.

The rock.

It broke like a rotten branch.

Can you help us?

You have a tough rope.

Michael's gonna pull you,
but you have to climb!

All right, take it!

Go Béa! Go!

You can do it Béa! Go!

Are you in?
Yeah.

Fucking novices.

We cannot take these two
with us. They're dead weight.

We have to try.
No, we don't.

They're responsible
for themselves.

They need our help, Jean Pierre!

They're gonna get us all killed!

I'm climbing to the next stance.

Tino, you're next!

Okay, I'm gonna pull you up
on the rope.

Use your arms, your good leg,
whatever will help me!

I'm gonna get you up
this, all right? Pitch by pitch.

Come on. Get up!

Okay, safe!

Come on, Tino!

Take care. Take care!

Keep going!
Come on!

Come on, try!

I'm sorry.
Harder!

Michael!
It's not gonna work!

Fuck!

Tino, you have to do this.

There's no other way.

Give us a fucking chance!
Piece of shit!

I couldn't limp across
the street, my friend.

How do you propose I can
traverse Monte Bianco?

My only chance is to wait here
for the rescue party.

Get out of here while
you still can. Please.

I stay with him.
Angelo, please.

Shut up.
Please! You don't need to.

You've said your piece.
I'm staying.

You and me, we get lifted off
this rock come the morning.

Right, boys?

I got you!

We did it, Michael.
How's your arm?

It's frozen below the elbow.

No! Béa! Béa

Béa! Béa!

Michael!

Fuck, put a in! No!

Okay, JP! Clip on!

Go, JP!

Safe?

Okay!

Allez, go!

All right, clip in, clip in.

Okay. C'est bon.
C'est bon. You're on.

Fucking hell.

Come on, guys. Keep pushing!

Hey, this is
the summit, I think.

You sure?

Well, we can't go
no higher, Michael.

Guys, we need to dig
a shelter right now!

The Vallot Hut is over there!
A few hundred meters away!

Come on, we've gotta keep going.

Come on.

Okay, your call. Your
fucking call! Come on.

Michael.

Michael.

Michael.
Michael, help me.

What the hell
have you just done?

Fuck you!

That's his lifeline,
you fucking... Shut up!

He's gonna get
us all killed, man!

Are you nuts?
He's done what he wants.

Fuck you!

What the fuck have you done?
Huh? Huh?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Mike! Mike!

You wanna die, man!

Not with you.

Jean Pierre?

Jean Pierre?

Jean Pierre?

JP!

That could be hundreds
of meters deep, man.

No way he survived this.

We're gonna find out.

Jean Pierre?

Michael.

I can't move.

I'm fucked.

Stay there. Stay there.

I'm fucking dead, man.

You're gonna be fine.

Okay?

Rudi's gonna pull you up.

We're gonna get you out.

Okay Rudi! He's on!

Okay. Ready?

Here, ice ax.
Take it, take it.

Fuck.

On three. Okay Rudi?

When I say go, pull like hell!

Three, two, one.

Pull, Rudi!

Come on, JP.

Pull, Rudi!

Good job!

Rudi!

I got you, JP!

Rudi!

Rudi!

Rudi?

Rudi?

Not like this.

Not here.

I should have gone
for eggs and bacon.

Michael, I need you
to do something for me.

When you see my parents,
I want you to say that...

Don't say that, Jean Pierre.

We'll get you off this mountain.

Tell them I was happy.

Tell them you... you did
everything you could.

No way. All right, we're gonna
rest here for a few minutes.

Then we're gonna get our energy
back and I'll get you down.

I swear.
We're all gonna die here!

If we die, we die together.

'Cause I'm not leaving.

It doesn't...
doesn't hurt anymore.

Just rest here for a minute.

Just a couple...

Lucy?

I'm here.

I'm so sorry.

No. Michael, don't be.

Michael?

You have to go. Now.

- No.
- Michael?

I can't go back there.

I don't wanna go back.

- I wanna stay here.
- Michael? Michael!

I've missed you so much.

Michael! Michael!

Michael! Michael!

Hey. Hey!

You cannot sleep.
You sleep, you die.

If we stay here, we die!

All right? Come on.

Jean Pierre.
Hey, wake up, man.

I couldn't wake him.
Huh?

He's gone.
No, shut up.

He's gone.
Come on, man!

Come on!
Michael.

Wake up!
Michael.

Michael.
Jean Pierre...

Michael!

Michael!
Jean Pierre, wake up, man.

Michael. Michael!
Wake up. What?

Michael!
What do you want?

Listen to me!

Jean Pierre?
He's gone, man!

He can't be.

Look...

I'm sorry.

We need to go, man.

I won't leave you here, okay?

Okay.

Okay.

Michael! Michael!

I see the hut! Follow me!

Follow me!

We can make it.

Help!

Help!

Michael!

- Sarah!
- Yeah?

Michael.
Stay with me. Look at me.

Michael...

Hello, you.

Béa...

Jean Pierre...

I tried to get them down.

I crossed over, you know.

If I wanted to die,

all I had to do was...

lie down

and sleep.

That's when I saw them.

What did you see?

Ghosts.

Waiting for me to fall.

But there was someone else
up there, you know.

A presence...

that was keeping me alive.

Willing me on.

In the end...

there are no ghosts.

No...

guardian angels.

Just you...

and how much you have
left in you to get home.

And you did.

I'm told my son
may never be found.

That Mont Blanc
is now his grave.

How was Jean Pierre...
at the end?

He died doing what he loved.

Not many of us
have that privilege.

Is that what you believe?

I'm not interested in
beautiful fiction, Michael.

We were in hell.

We were making strange
decisions up there.

Uh...

Decisions that now,

sitting opposite you...

I mean, they don't make sense.

He wanted me to tell you
something.

That he was happy...

at the end.

He wasn't crying.

He wasn't in pain.

The last thing I saw
on his face was a smile.

That's the truth.

So...

So...

I guess we just have to
step away from this place.

Just like that?

Are we...

You really wanna
end it like this?

Do you really think I want to?

It has to.

I can't be part of this
any longer.

I can't watch all
the people I love die.

I won't.
You won't have to, okay?

Come on. You and me,

let's go somewhere completely
different and never come back.

I would love that.

But you're always going to
carry that place in your heart.

You're going to miss it.
No, I'm done with it.

All of it.
No.

I promise.
No.

You say that now.

Sooner or later, you'll be
back on the mountain

and I'll be stuck in a hut

hoping that you
make it back down.

That's it.
It won't be like that.

I know.

Because I'm not going
to let it happen.

I fell in love with you,
you know.

That's why I have to go.

But we will always have
this place, right?

Okay.