Tenzing - Director Jennifer Peedom

Based on true events, "Tenzing” chronicles the little-known story of Tenzing Norgay (Genden Phuntsok), a gifted Himalayan climber who, alongside New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary (Tom Hiddleston), became the first to summit Mount Everest. Encouraged by his wife Dawa (Thinley Lhamo), Tenzing finds an ally in expedition secretary Jill Henderson (Caitríona Balfe). Together, they persuade Colonel John Hunt (Willem Dafoe) that Tenzing belongs on the British climbing team, rather than merely serving it. Where Western climbers see "Everest" as something to be conquered, Tenzing reveres "Chomolungma" as the sacred mother goddess. What follows is an ascent defined as much by the tensions between backgrounds, classes and competing ambitions as by the perils of the mountain itself. But high above the world, empire, rank and aspiration fall away, leaving two outsiders bound by mutual respect and trust — and for Tenzing, the fulfillment of both a life-long dream and a spiritual calling. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Jennifer Peedom, “Tenzing” is a story of greatness that refuses to be diminished — and the love that makes it possible. About the filmmaker - Jennifer Peedom is a BAFTA-nominated Australian director and producer whose work spans documentary and narrative film. Peedom has spent more than two decades working in the Himalayas and on Everest. Her relationship with the region and the Sherpa community began through her early work as a filmmaker in high-altitude environments and has shaped some of the defining projects of her career. Peedom’s directing credits include the internationally acclaimed feature documentaries “Solo,” “Sherpa," “Mountain," “River” and “Deeper." “Sherpa" premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at the BFI London Film Festival, and was nominated for the BAFTA for Best Documentary. It became one of Australia’s most successful theatrical documentaries— a benchmark Peedom surpassed with her next film, “Mountain,” made in collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Peedom’s work has screened at major international festivals including Telluride, TIFF, SXSW, San Sebastián and Busan, and has received numerous awards and nominations, including recognition from the Australian Directors’ Guild and the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. Peedom co-founded and runs the Sydney-based production company Stranger Than Fiction Films, whose credits include "David Stratton: A Cinematic Life," which screened at Cannes Classics, and "Harley & Katya," winner of the International Emmy Award for Sports Documentary. The company’s most recent release, “Silenced," is a documentary feature about human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson and her fight against the weaponization of defamation laws to silence women in the wake of the #MeToo movement. The film premiered to acclaim at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.