Key points
- Film recounts Sadpara, Snorri’s final climb
• Explores dangers of winter K2 ascent
• Examines influencer, commercial climbing culture
PARK CITY, United States: A documentary chronicling the final, fatal winter ascent attempt of legendary climbers Mohammad Ali Sadpara and John Snorri has earned international acclaim at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
The Last First: Winter K2, directed by award-winning filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev, premiered at the festival this week, drawing attention for its stark portrayal of one of mountaineering’s deadliest chapters.
The film revisits the 2021 winter season on K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, when Sadpara and Snorri disappeared during a historic attempt to complete the first-ever winter summit of the peak.
The documentary follows the expedition involving Sadpara, his son Sajid Sadpara, and Snorri, as they pursued what was widely regarded as mountaineering’s “last great prize.” K2 was the final 8,000-metre peak yet to be summited in winter, known for its extreme weather, technical difficulty and high fatality rate.
High-altitude climbing
Bar-Lev’s film goes beyond recounting a tragedy, exploring the broader transformation of high-altitude climbing. It examines the growing impact of commercial expeditions, influencer culture and social media, and the tensions these forces have created with traditional alpinists who value experience and legacy over visibility.
Sajid Sadpara, who survived the climb after turning back and later joined search efforts for his father, attended the premiere and shared personal reflections with the audience, recounting the final moments before his father and Snorri went missing during their descent.
Festival organisers described The Last First as a powerful meditation on risk, ambition and the evolving culture of extreme mountaineering, cementing its place as one of Sundance’s most talked-about documentaries this year.
