Award-Winning Documentary SHERPA to be released in the UK from December 18

FELIX MEDIA and ARROW MEDIA are thrilled to announce that their Award-winning documentary Sherpa is set for a UK theatrical release from the 18th December. Presented by UNIVERSAL PICTURES and SCREEN AUSTRALIA in association with DISCOVERY CHANNEL, Sherpa is directed by award-winning filmmaker Jennifer Peedom (Solo, Miracle on Everest, Living the End) and produced by critically-acclaimed Bridget Ikin (An Angel At My Table, My Year Without Sex, Look Both Ways) and BAFTA-winning producer John Smithson (Touching The Void, 127 Hours). Sherpa won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at the BFI London Film Festival 2015 and is nominated for 4 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for Best Documentary, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Original Score.

In 1953, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay had reached the Everest summit in a spirit of co-operation and brave optimism. But in 2013 news channels around the world reported an ugly brawl at 21,000ft as European climbers fled a mob of angry Sherpas. What had happened to the happy, smiling Sherpas and their dedication in getting foreigners to the top of the mountain they hold so sacred?

Determined to explore what was going on, the filmmakers set out to make a film of the 2014 Everest climbing season, from the Sherpas’ point of view. Instead, they captured a tragedy that would change Everest forever. At 6.45am on 18th April, 2014, a 14 million ton block of ice crashed down onto the climbing route through the Khumbu Icefall, killing 16 Sherpas. It was the worst tragedy in the history of Everest. The disaster provoked a drastic reappraisal about the role of the Sherpas in the Everest industry. SHERPA, tells the story of how, in the face of fierce opposition, the Sherpas united in grief and anger to reclaim the mountain they call Chomolungma.

Director Jennifer Peedom said “The Sherpas have hit the cutting room floor of far too many Everest films, so in 2014, we set out to film an Everest expedition from their point of view. We wanted to highlight the disproportionate risks they take, in getting foreign climbers to the summit, and back down safely. But nothing could have prepared us for what happened on the mountain last year. The accident highlighted these disproportionate risks in a way that nothing else could.”

Producer John Smithson said “As the grief turned to anger in the wake of this terrible avalanche, it dramatically revealed the fault line that exists between the Sherpas and the Westerners that they guide up the mountain. It gave us a unique opportunity to observe at first hand a dramatically evolving story. We are thrilled that the impact that the film has had on audiences so far.”

SHERPA is in UK cinemas from 18th December and will broadcast globally on Discovery Channel in 2016

Awards
Winner of the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at the BFI London Film Festival 2015
Winner APRA AMCOS Australian Screen Music Awards – Best Music for a Documentary 2015
Nominated for 4 Australian Academy Awards 2015

About Felix Media
John Maynard and Bridget Ikin have established Felix Media, to produce original screen-based works by artists. Previously we produced through our separate companies, Arenafilm and Hibiscus Films.

We intend to create works which will offer memorable and provocative insights into the way we view our world, our times and ourselves – and to make them accessible, be they for presentation in cinemas, as public art gallery installations, for broadcast or online.

We take an enterprising approach to all aspects of our work – from financing, to production, marketing and distribution, looking always to challenge convention and take risks. We value exceptional quality over quantity, and seek to develop long-term relationships with the artists we work with.

About Arrow Media
Arrow Media is one of the UK’s most ambitious creative forces. A fast-growing independent production company, Arrow Media specialises in creating high quality and innovative content across TV, film and digital media; from long-running series to big ambitious projects such as new theatrical documentary Sherpa, RTS winning Live from Space, Investigation Discovery hit TV series See No Evil and NGCI juggernaut Ultimate Airport Dubai.
Founded in 2011 by Tom Brisley, John Smithson, and Iain Pelling, Arrow Media has created and produced hundreds of hours of adventure, science and technology, nature and history programming for the UK, US and International markets. Arrow’s clients include Channel 4, BBC, Sky, Smithsonian Network, Discovery, Animal Planet, TLC and National Geographic Channel International.

About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s #1 pay-TV programmer reaching 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. For 30 years Discovery has been satisfying curiosity and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its global brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and through the Discovery Digital Networks portfolio, including TestTube, Seeker and SourceFed. Discovery owns Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES and SCREEN AUSTRALIA present in association with DISCOVERY a FELIX MEDIA and ARROW MEDIA production SHERPA

Cinematography RENAN OZTURK HUGH MILLER KEN SAULS
Editor CHRISTIAN GAZAL
Sound Designer SAM PETTY
Composer ANTONY PARTOS
Executive producers JOHN MAYNARD DAVID GRIFFIN DAVID GROSS
Producers BRIDGET IKIN and JOHN SMITHSON
Director JENNIFER PEEDOM

© 2015 Felix Media Pty Ltd, Arrow International Media Limited and Screen Australia

JENNIFER PEEDOM
Director, Writer and Co-producer
BIO
Jen Peedom is known for her intimate and compassionate portraits, documenting stories from the epic to the everyday, often in extreme situations. Her credits include the internationally renowned documentaries MIRACLE ON EVEREST and SOLO.

Jen is an experienced climber, and has worked as a high altitude director on several expeditions including Discovery Channel’s six-part series EVEREST: BEYOND THE LIMIT. She has developed a strong friendship with Sherpa people over many years of working in the Himalayas since 2004, and these connections were key to the access we were granted in the making of SHERPA.

Her awards include an Australian Film Institute and Film Critics Circle Award for Best Documentary, multiple Australian Directors Guild Awards for Best Direction, and a ‘Rocky’ at the World Media Awards.

Jen was also awarded the inaugural David and Joan Williams Documentary Fellowship, which recognises and rewards creative ambition, intellectual rigour and innovation in documentary cinema. Jen has directed for ABC, SBS, BBC, France 5, ITVS, Discovery Channel and National Geographic Channel.

FILM / TV CV - KEY CREDITS
LIFE AT 9 (2014) – Series Director
Screened ABC

LIFE AT 7 (2012) – Series Director
Screened ABC

LIVING THE END (2010) – Director/Producer
1 hr documentary for SBS
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Winner, Best Social / Humanitarian documentary, BANFF World Media Festival, Canada, 2011; Nominated, Best documentary ATOM Awards Australia, 2011

MIRACLE IN THE DESERT (2009) – Director
1 hr documentary for ABC, France 5 and National Geographic Channel (part of a 3 part series)

SOLO (2008) – Director/Producer
1 hr documentary for ABC, BBC, National Geographic Channel US and ITVS
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Winner, Best Direction in a documentary, Australian Screen Directors Guild Awards, 2010; Winner, AFI Award for Best Documentary Under One Hour, 2009; Winner, Film Critics Circle Award for Best Documentary Under One Hour, 2010; Winner, Best Film Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival, 2010; Winner, Grand Prix, Prague International film festival - Water, Sea 
and The Oceans; Winner, Best film on Mountain Sport, BANFF Mountain Film Festival; Winner Grand Prix, Festival du Film Voyage & Adventure, Montreal Canada; Official Selection - Sheffield International Documentary Festival, UK; Official Selection - IDFA, International Documentary Festival 
Amsterdam; Official Selection - Adelaide International Film Festival;

MIRACLE ON EVEREST (2007) – Director/Producer
1 hr documentary for ABC, France 5 & National Geographic Channel US
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Screened at over 10 international film festivals, Bulgaria- Winner of 
the Bansko Municipality Award, International Mountaineering Film Festival, Peru- Winner, 
Best Mountaineering Film;

EVEREST: BEYOND THE LIMIT (2006) – High Altitude Director
6 x 1 hr documentary series
Broadcast, Discovery Channel US
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: The show aired worldwide in 2007 and was Discovery Channels’ second most watched program in 2007

THE SHERPAS’ BURDEN (2004) - Writer/Director
1 x 25 min documentary
Broadcast, SBS

BRIDGET IKIN
Producer
BIO
Committed to producing quality cinema of ideas, Bridget Ikin is an award-winning producer, whose feature films include: AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE; Alison Maclean’s CRUSH; Clara Law’s FLOATING LIFE; Sarah Watt’s LOOK BOTH WAYS and MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX. She is the EP for the 2013 debut feature THE ROCKET (dir. Kim Mordaunt).

She has recently produced two series of the landmark documentary series on contemporary Aboriginal art, ART + SOUL, for the ABC. Bridget has also combined producing, with senior positions at the public broadcaster SBSi and the FFC (now Screen Australia).

More recently, Bridget and partner John Maynard have established Felix Media, a production company working with artists on exceptional moving image projects for cinema and gallery presentation. Recent works include CORAL by Lynette Wallworth, and CITIZENS BAND, and THE CALLING by Angelica Mesiti.

FILM / TV CV - KEY CREDITS
ART + SOUL, series 2 (2014) – Producer 
3 x 1 hr documentary series, dir. Steven McGregor
Screened ABC

THE ROCKET (2013) - Executive Producer
Feature, dir. Kim Mordaunt
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Winner Berlin Film Festival, Amnesty International Film Prize, Best Debut Feature, Crystal Bear in Generation Kplus; Winner, Tribeca Film Festival, Audience Award; Winner, Sydney Film Festival, Audience Award; Winner AFI Fest Best International Film; Nominated, AACTA Awards, Best Film; Winner, Melbourne Film Festival, Audience Award

ART + SOUL, series 1 (2010) - Producer
3 x 1 hr documentary series, dir. Warwick Thornton
Screened ABC

MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX (2009) - Producer
Feature, dir. Sarah Watt
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Toronto Film Festival, Adelaide Film Festival, New Zealand International Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival

LOOK BOTH WAYS (2005) - Producer
Feature, dir. Sarah Watt
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Winner, Toronto Film Festival, Discovery Award; AFI Award for Best Film; Winner, FIPRESCI Award, Brisbane Film Festival; Best Film – AFI Awards, Australia

FLOATING LIFE (1996) – Producer
Feature, dir. Clara Law
Key Festicals/Awards/Acclaim: Silver Leopard, Locarno Film Festival

CRUSH (1992) – Producer
Feature, dir. Alison Maclean
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: In Competition, Cannes Film Festival

AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE (1990) - Producer
Feature; dir. Jane Campion
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Silver Lion, Venice Film Festival (and 8 other awards)
More than 20 international Best Film awards.

JOHN SMITHSON
Producer
BIO
John is one of the most respected executives working in worldwide factual production, with a distinguished track record in feature documentary. He is Joint Creative Director of ARROW MEDIA, one of the UK’s fastest growing creative forces.

He has won more than 50 international awards for his TV and film work and has been responsible for a slate of high quality films that have received global acclaim.

In 2011 he was an Oscar® nominee for Best Motion Picture of the Year for Danny Boyle’s 127 HOURS, a film he originated and produced. He also produced TOUCHING THE VOID, which won the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film and 14 other awards and broke box-office records.

He is currently in production on a large slate of projects for Arrow Media.

FILM/TV CV – KEY CREDITS
9/11: HEROES OF THE 88th FLOOR (2012) – EP
Nominated for News & Documentary Emmy Award

INTO THE UNIVERSE WITH STEPHEN HAWKING (2011) – EP
Nominated for three News & Documentary Emmy Awards

I SHOULDN’T BE ALIVE (2010-2012) – EP
(44 episodes)

127 HOURS (2010) – Producer
Feature drama, dir. Danny Boyle
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Nominated for Best Picture Oscar®; Nominated, BAFTA, Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film; Winner, AFI Awards, Movie of the Year

THRILLER IN MANILLA (2009) – EP
TV movie documentary, dir. John Dower
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Winner George Foster Peabody Award; Winner Grierson Award for Best Historical Documentary; Winner Banff Television Festival Award for Best Sports Documentary; Nominated for News & Documentary Emmy Award

9/11: PHONE CALLS FROM THE TOWERS (2009) – EP
TV movie documentary, dir. James Kent
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Nominated for International Emmy, Best Documentary

THE BECKONING SILENCE (2007) – EP
TV movie documentary, dir. Louise Osmond
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Winner, International Emmy Award, Best Documentary; Nominated BAFTA TV Award for Best Single Documentary.

DEEP WATER (2006) – Producer
Feature documentary, dir. Louise Osmond and Jerry Rothwell
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Grierson Awards for Best Cinema Documentary; Winner, Rome International Film Festival for Best Cinema Documentary; Winner, San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Documentary; Winner, Focal Award for Best Use of Footage in a Feature Length Documentary of Film.

9/11: THE FALLING MAN (2006) – EP
TV movie documentary, dir. Henry Singer
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Nominated for a BAFTA Award in Flaherty Documentary Award category; Nominated for International Emmy, Best Documentary; Winner, New York Festival World Gold Medal for Feature Length Documentary

THE LAST DRAGON (2004) – EP
Docufiction, dir. Justin Harvey
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Nominated for an Emmy, Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More)

TOUCHING THE VOID (2003) – Producer
Feature documentary, dir. Kevin Macdonald
Key Festivals/Awards/Acclaim: Winner, British Independent Film Award for Best British Documentary; Winner, Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film BAFTA Award

RENAN OZTURK
High Altitude Cinematographer + Director
BIO
Renan Ozturk is a globally recognized expedition climber, landscape artist and filmmaker. After many filming visits to Nepal, SHERPA was Renan’s first Everest climbing/filming trip, and he’d been preparing for months for the ascent. His fluent Nepali, together with his imaginative and poetic use of the cameras at altitude were a genuine asset to the SHERPA team, and have lent the film an intuitive and intimate beauty.

Renan is at the forefront of the adventure cinematography and visual storytelling world, renowned for pushing the art of filmmaking from extreme locations. He’s been recognized by North Face (as one of their professional athletes), and named as a National Geographic “Adventurer of the Year” (2012). Through top mountain film festival awards and online viral recognition, Renan’s style has emerged as one of the leaders for the outdoor industry. He’s a co-director of the ski movie INTO THE MIND, (2012), and was instrumental in the cinematography and direction of MERU (Sundance Audience Choice Award, 2015).

He co-founded the Camp 4 Collective to continue to push the boundaries of expedition storytelling.

FILM/TV CV – KEY CREDITS
MERU (2015)
Cinematographer + subject
Sundance US Documentary Audience Choice Award, 2015

INTO THE MIND (2012)
Co-director

TOWERS OF THE ENNEDI
Best Climbing film, Boulder Adventure Film Festival