K2 AND THE INVISIBLE FOOTMEN

People in the film

Director iara lee’s documentary feature K2 and the Invisible Footmen profiles those who’ve climbed the world’s second-tallest mountain. Filmed during the summer 2014 climbing season, the film devotes particular attention to the indigenous Pakistani mountain porters who have been an integral part of K2 expeditions since the mountain was first summited in 1954. Below, find biographies of moutaineers featured in the film, whether they climbed K2 in 2014 or in years past.

(Cover and right image photo credit: Cultures of Resistance Films)

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List of People

Adrian Hayes	British record-breaking polar explorer and adventurer www.adrianhayes.com
Agostino da Polenza	Italian climber and expedition leader who summited K2 in 1983 without supplemental oxygen; founded Ev-K2-CNR Committee as a project of scientific and technological research in Himalaya, Karakorum and Hindu Kush ranges www.evk2cnr.org
Al Hancock	Thirteenth Canadian to climb the Seven Summits; completed over 20 difficult, expedition style summits www.alhancock.com
Alan Arnette	American mountaineer who has climbed the Seven Summits to reach millions on behalf of Alzheimer’s causes www.alanarnette.com
Ali	37 year-old climber from Hushe, Pakistan who has summited Broad Peak, G2 and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition
Ali Durani	24 year-old climber from Hushe, Pakistan, who has summited Broad Peak and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 K2 expedition
Ashraf Aman	Mountaineer, adventurer, and engineer from Pakistan who, in 1977, became the first Pakistani to reach the summit of K2; operates Adventure Tours Pakistan and is vice president of Alpine Club of Pakistanwww.atp.com.pk
Boyan Petrov	Bulgarian climber and famous zoologist; member and leader of research and mountaineering expeditions who has made 16 summits above 5,000 meters
Chhang Dawa Sherpa	A climbing prodigy and the second Nepali to successfully summit the 14 mountains of the world that are above 8,000 meters; the youngest 14-peak summiter in the world www.sevensummittreks.com
Chris Jensen Burke	One of the few climbers, female or male, to reach the summit of four 8,000-meter peaks in a twelve-month period; the 4th woman to climb both G1 and G2 in a single season www.chrisjensenburke.com
Dawa Yangzum Sherpa	Nepalese female climber and high-altitude long-distance runner who believes mountaineering and climbing can bring change in society; hopes to raise the voice of climate change for women living in under-developed countries
Daniele Nardi	Documentary filmmaker who summited K2 in 2007 and 2014 and Nanga Parbat in 2008; supported communication for Pakistani-Italian expedition www.danielenardi.org
Fazl Ali	A climber from Shimshal, Pakistan
Ghulam Mehdi	39 year-old climber from Hushe, Ghulam has summited G1, G2, K7, Nanga Parbat, Spantik and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition
Hassan Jan	39 year-old mountaineer from Hushe, Pakistan, who has summited Nanga Parbat, Char-Ku-Za Peak, G2, Broad Peak, Bawashal Peak and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition
Hassan Sadpara aka Hassan Asad Khan	Mountaineer and high altitude porter from Sadpara village, Skardu, Pakistan; only Pakistani who has made it to the summit of 65 distinct 8000-meter mountains and the second Pakistani to summit Everest www.facebook.com/pages/Hassan-Sadpara
Lakpa Sherpa	Nepalese climber and guide known for conducting rescue operations at extreme altitudes and adverse conditions www.himalayan-ascent.com
Lien Choong Luen	Singapore-based climber who summited Everest and K2 in 2014
Luojing	Female climber from China who has summited seven 8000ers, including K2 in 2014
Matteo Zanga	Italian photographer the photographer for the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition www.matteozanga.it
Maya Sherpa	Nepalese climber who completed K2 in 2014 to raise awareness around climate change; has summited Everest twice
Michele Cucchi	An Italian guide, Cucchi who has connected his passion for skiing, rock climbing and alpinism into a professional mountaineering career; a member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition
Mingma Gyalje Sherpa	A young, experienced climber from Nepal, who has successfully climbed Mt. Everest four times and several other 8000ers, including K2 in 2014 www.dreamersdestination.com
Muhammad Hassan	25 year-old climber from Hushe, Pakistan,who has summited G2, Broad Peak and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition
Muhammad Sadiq	39 year-old climber from Sadpara who has summited G1, G2 and Broad Peak; member of the Pakistani-Italian K2 expedition
Muhammad Taqi	38 year-old climber from Hushe, Pakistan, who has summited Spantik and Broad Peak; leader of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition
Nazir Sabir	Pakistani mountaineer from Hunza who became the first Pakistani to climb Mt. Everest; climbed four of the five 8000-meter peaks in Pakistan, including K2 in 1981 www.nazirsabir.com/
Pasang Lhamu Sherpa	Nepalese female climber who has spoken out about the sexism in the climbing world; has climbed Mt. Everest, K2 and various other mountains
Paolo Aralla	Director of photography for the Pakistani-Italian 2014 K2 expedition bapufilm.com
Rajab Shah	The first Pakistani to climb all five of Pakistan’s 8000ers; summited K2 in 2005.
Rehmat Ullah Baig	A native of Shimshal, Pakistan, who summited K2 with the Pakistai-Italian 2014 expedition
Reza Shahlaee	An Irani alpinist who summited K2 in 2014
Shaheen Baig	A mountaineer, high-altitude porter, mountain guide and instructor from Shimshal; co-founded the Shimshal Mountaineering School to promote professional mountaineering and adventure sports activities; summited K2 in 2004 www.facebook.com/pages/Shimshal-Mountaineering-School
Tamara Lunger	Italian ski mountaineer and the youngest female climber, at 23, to reach the main summit of Lhotse, in Nepal; summited K2 in 2014
Tashi Lakpa Sherpa	Nepalese mountain guide and international expedition leader; summited Everest eight timeswww.tamaralunger.com
Tunc Findik	The first Turk to summit Mount Everest twice from different routes; summited K2 in 2012www.tuncfindik.com
Zdravko Dejanovic	Macedonian climber who summited K2 in 2014

K2 AND THE INVISIBLE FOOTMEN

People in the film

Adrian Hayes

British record-breaking polar explorer and adventurer

Agostino da Polenza

Italian climber and expedition leader who summited K2 in 1983 without supplemental oxygen; founded Ev-K2-CNR Committee as a project of scientific and technological research in Himalaya, Karakorum and Hindu Kush ranges

Al Hancock

Thirteenth Canadian to climb the Seven Summits; completed over 20 difficult, expedition style summits

Alan Arnette

American mountaineer who has climbed the Seven Summits to reach millions on behalf of Alzheimer’s causes

Ali

37 year-old climber from Hushe, Pakistan who has summited Broad Peak, G2 and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition

Ali Durani

24 year-old climber from Hushe, Pakistan, who has summited Broad Peak and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 K2 expedition

Ashraf Aman

Mountaineer, adventurer, and engineer from Pakistan who, in 1977, became the first Pakistani to reach the summit of K2; operates Adventure Tours Pakistan and is vice president of Alpine Club of Pakistanwww.atp.com.pk

Boyan Petrov

Bulgarian climber and famous zoologist; member and leader of research and mountaineering expeditions who has made 16 summits above 5,000 meters

Chhang Dawa Sherpa

A climbing prodigy and the second Nepali to successfully summit the 14 mountains of the world that are above 8,000 meters; the youngest 14-peak summiter in the world

Chris Jensen Burke

One of the few climbers, female or male, to reach the summit of four 8,000-meter peaks in a twelve-month period; the 4th woman to climb both G1 and G2 in a single season

Dawa Yangzum Sherpa

Nepalese female climber and high-altitude long-distance runner who believes mountaineering and climbing can bring change in society; hopes to raise the voice of climate change for women living in under-developed countries

Daniele Nardi

Documentary filmmaker who summited K2 in 2007 and 2014 and Nanga Parbat in 2008; supported communication for Pakistani-Italian expedition

Fazl Ali

A climber from Shimshal, Pakistan

Ghulam Mehdi

39 year-old climber from Hushe, Ghulam has summited G1, G2, K7, Nanga Parbat, Spantik and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition

Hassan Jan

39 year-old mountaineer from Hushe, Pakistan, who has summited Nanga Parbat, Char-Ku-Za Peak, G2, Broad Peak, Bawashal Peak and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition

Hassan Sadpara aka Hassan Asad Khan

Mountaineer and high altitude porter from Sadpara village, Skardu, Pakistan; only Pakistani who has made it to the summit of 65 distinct 8000-meter mountains and the second Pakistani to summit Everest

Lakpa Sherpa

Nepalese climber and guide known for conducting rescue operations at extreme altitudes and adverse conditions

Lien Choong Luen

Singapore-based climber who summited Everest and K2 in 2014

Luojing

Female climber from China who has summited seven 8000ers, including K2 in 2014

Matteo Zanga

Italian photographer the photographer for the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition

Maya Sherpa

Nepalese climber who completed K2 in 2014 to raise awareness around climate change; has summited Everest twice

Michele Cucchi

An Italian guide, Cucchi who has connected his passion for skiing, rock climbing and alpinism into a professional mountaineering career; a member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition

Mingma Gyalje Sherpa

A young, experienced climber from Nepal, who has successfully climbed Mt. Everest four times and several other 8000ers, including K2 in 2014

Muhammad Hassan

25 year-old climber from Hushe, Pakistan,who has summited G2, Broad Peak and K2; member of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition

Muhammad Sadiq

39 year-old climber from Sadpara who has summited G1, G2 and Broad Peak; member of the Pakistani-Italian K2 expedition

Muhammad Taqi

38 year-old climber from Hushe, Pakistan, who has summited Spantik and Broad Peak; leader of the Pakistani-Italian 2014 expedition

Nazir Sabir

Pakistani mountaineer from Hunza who became the first Pakistani to climb Mt. Everest; climbed four of the five 8000-meter peaks in Pakistan, including K2 in 1981

Pasang Lhamu Sherpa

Nepalese female climber who has spoken out about the sexism in the climbing world; has climbed Mt. Everest, K2 and various other mountains

Paolo Aralla

Director of photography for the Pakistani-Italian 2014 K2 expedition

Rajab Shah

The first Pakistani to climb all five of Pakistan’s 8000ers; summited K2 in 2005.

Rehmat Ullah Baig

A native of Shimshal, Pakistan, who summited K2 with the Pakistai-Italian 2014 expedition

Reza Shahlaee

An Irani alpinist who summited K2 in 2014

Shaheen Baig

A mountaineer, high-altitude porter, mountain guide and instructor from Shimshal; co-founded the Shimshal Mountaineering School to promote professional mountaineering and adventure sports activities; summited K2 in 2004

Tamara Lunger

Italian ski mountaineer and the youngest female climber, at 23, to reach the main summit of Lhotse, in Nepal; summited K2 in 2014

Tashi Lakpa Sherpa

Nepalese mountain guide and international expedition leader; summited Everest eight timeswww.tamaralunger.com

Tunc Findik

The first Turk to summit Mount Everest twice from different routes; summited K2 in 2012www.tuncfindik.com

Zdravko Dejanovic

Macedonian climber who summited K2 in 2014