AUDIENCE FEEDBACK

Tania V. — Hola Iara, si claro que he visto tu cine, me parece positiva, además de que me gusta esa mezcla y esa atmósfera sublimadora que lográs entre la fragilidad y la voluntad de los humanos frente a la naturaleza o a los entes sociales y su conjunción de cualquier parte de este planeta, creo en todas hay eso, pero las que más me llegan o las que más me transforman y me transportan con energía particular son K2 and the Invisible Footmen y Burkinabé Rising: the art of resistente in Burkina Faso quizá por mi formación, soy actriz licenciada por el CUT-UNAM/SEP de México (el arte en general ha sostenido mi alma, pensamiento y provoca mi acción) quizá también porque al mirar las películas siento un imán entre las imágenes, la música y lo auténtico de lo filmado que me empuja hacia adelante, hacia el futuro. Que estremecedora y exacta forma tienes de conscientizar el bienestar para los humanos y su planeta.

Ali A., United Arab Emirates — تحياتي وتقديري العالي لك. فيلمك الجديد مؤثر جداً، إذ يركز على أبطال “في الظل” ومعاناتهم وأحلامهم وشقائهم وتفاصيل إنسانية عميقة مؤثرة.

Shashank, Nepal — Such a powerful story! It haunts you throughout and you see the reality of expeditions. The shots are also hauntingly beautiful alongside the snippets of background music.

Adriana B., United Kingdom — It was super interesting! The movie was an eye-opener even for me—and I have walked alongside these porters. I think the key is to really drive home the importance of education in rural communities or else this will be a never-ending cycle of large families with only a job as a porter to provide for them.

Yousuf K., Pakistan — Your documentary K2 and the Invisible Footmen is a jewel that you have gifted to Pakistan, as well as to the beautiful and strong people of Gilgit Baltistan. I am from Karachi but a fan of the northern areas of Pakistan.

Saqlain S., Pakistan — The most beautiful and impressive documentary in the field of mountaineering, and with a focus on the porters—the force behind all expeditions and trekking!

Elia S. — I just watched your film K2 and the Invisible Footmen. Well done on your mission to tell a great story about these wonderful men. I spend a lot of time in the Himalayas and have a great deal of love and respect for my Sherpa brothers. I look forward to getting to K2 to meet them myself one day soon. Congratulations!

Rayan I. — I just finished watching your documentary. I really loved it! It’ll become a voice for the porters. I definitely recommend this documentary for my friends!

Ahmed F., Pakistan — I watched the movie. It’s an eye opener! Amazing work exposing the real heroes—we must do some thing to help them! What I liked most was that, despite the porters’ very tough lives, they keep singing and stay positive. They even complained with smile!

Sammer I. — This documentary is one of the biggest reality shocks I’ve gotten, and it is the best mountain climbing documentary I have seen! I have never experienced injustice in such a gut-wrenching way through a screen. May life change for better for these men.

Spiros, Greece — I was excited to watch the film and listen to you and Jawad passionately elaborate on it. What an experience filming it must have been! I thought there were a lot of interesting questions from the Q&A participants and I enjoyed your and Jawad’s insightful answers. I think what you are doing is amazing. Traveling the world for social change, expressing yourself artistically, and spreading awareness at the same time is invaluable.

Abdulrahman A. — Such an amazing movie! I loved the focus on the porters, not the climbers, as they are the real heroes. Great job guys! Keep it up and I’m looking forward to watching your next films!

Nesreen G. — What a great movie! I really loved it and it opened my eyes to many things.

Julie G. — The movie had fascinating insight. It was really interesting and I appreciate your Q&A session to share your experience of creating the movie. I loved that you were able to create trust and enter the lives of the porters. It felt as if the porters were expressing themselves very freely and honestly. I was interested to see how you managed to capture these moments.

Marivone R. — Assistimos aqui em casa também. Muito lindo. Um primor de sensibilidade.

Alia R. — Your film was that cold fresh breeze you get once you stop at you next camp and it sheds light on all the things that a climber would see that are not technical. Huge, huge, huge, huge respect and a huge thank you for a perfected masterpiece and allowing us to be part of it! Keep spreading the magic of the mountains!

Erland O., Greenland — Very strong movie. Great work!

Kimmernaq K., Greenland — Amazing work you have done! It was a pleasure to see your work and it made me think a lot.

Stephen W., United Kingdom — Thank you for bringing your uplifting film to London. It was greatly appreciated by the audience in London and promoted an interesting discussion. The topics covered included technical ones about filming, editing and music; concern about the plight of porters and their families; discussion about alternative sources of income in a harsh environment; the need to promote tourism more generally in North Pakistan; and the special cultural and political status of Gilgit-Baltistan. I do hope that your efforts to secure a wider distribution for your film are rewarded.

Alpin Film Festival, Romania — It was more than great. All went well and your movie was highly appreciated by everybody. Moreover, we had a very well-known alpinist with us and he told us that he recognized every corner of the trails to K2. Zsolt Torok also presented the movie and shared some bits and pieces of his experience up there with us.

Julian I., Austria — I recently watched the movie K2 and the Invisible Footmen at the Alpinmesse in Innsbruck. It was one of the most astonishing movies I have seen. I have also been able to visit Pakistan in the last two years and the movie shows the beauty and the exceptionalism of the country and its people.

Francesco Q., Italy — I really liked the story and how you narrated it…. You were able to capture the beauty as a pure entity. The colors, the landscapes, and the details were really, really beautiful. In many points, they were almost mystic. The purity of the mountains and their power was astonishing. I felt the beauty in those images. At the end, it made me sympathize with the Pakistani porters and want to go there and see the beautiful mountains. Thanks for the beautiful feelings that you transmitted with your work!

Qasim B., Pakistan — The film was amazingly done in all aspects, including cinematography and the story. Everything was made for everything else. You are an invincible footwoman.

Muhammad M., Pakistan — Thought provoking and absolutely beautiful. The invisible footmen who have super human strength and incredibly soft hearts make it possible for great mountaineers to climb the highest and most deadly peaks. Most importantly, this lurking mist of terror has kept beautiful human beings from enjoying their stay on this planet, with the exception of a crazy few who swim against the tide.

Bella K. — Thank you for showing the beautiful side of Pakistan.

Qureshi, Pakistan — I saw the documentary when it was screened at the Rafi Peer International Film Festival. Iara Lee has done an amazing job in making this movie as it truly depicts the situation in which these porters are forced to work and earn their bread and butter. On top of that, the documentary portrays how these porters live un poverty with six to ten children and little food, education, clothing, or shoes.

Nadya M. — Extremely insightful! Thanks, Iara, for showing the world a different picture and highlighting the most neglected issue! The picturesque mountains, the snow-capped peaks, the deadly crevasses, the simplicity, and the plight of the porters and Sherpas were indeed overwhelming!

Asif A., Pakistan — It was great, especially for me because I’m a porter’s son and very proud of my father. He always struggled to earn money from his job for our educations. Unfortunately, my father now suffers from knee pain and will need an operation. He has told me the stories of K2 and your film depicts these stories as they are in reality.

Haneen R. — A stupendous narrative. I had goosebumps throughout!

Khalid A. — You have done a remarkable job. My heart felt so much pain for those porters. You presented their case so perfectly. Keep up the good work!

Farah K., Pakistan — You have done quite extraordinary work. Thanks for making our country “roshan” (enlightened)! Hoping to see many more documentaries from you!

Maaz I. — No, I didn’t like the film—I just loved the film! It is an outstanding movie and by far the best one I’ve seen in my life. The emotion and the way in which you made it were absolutely brilliant.

Ammad A. — Hats off to you and your team. I have no words for thanking you for such an effort. It left me speechless.

Bogdan I., Russia — It was interesting to see how people live there. Good movie.

Yulia G., Russia — A great film. It was really scary to see this movie and realize that somewhere people live like that. What for some is a hobby and a favorite pastime is hard labor for others. I rarely think about that. I need to rent and watch these films again.

Alena H., Russia — Thank you very much for arranging viewing. The film touched!

Ankur P., India — Kudos to K2 and the Invisible Footmen. It’s a visual treat.

Shubhranshu C. — I got a chance to see K2 yesterday. It blew my mind, especially the way the story is told. By the end of the movie, I had tears in my eyes. It had such genuine and true emotions.

Narjis M., Turkey — What an amazing film! You had the audience in awe! Thank you, Iara Lee, for sharing this amazing film with us. We sat in awe of the beautiful landscapes, real-life stories, and struggles of the porters of K2. It brilliantly documents the mighty mountain and the resilient, smiling porters of K2. I am myself an aspiring filmmaker. Tonight, your work inspired so many of us.

Ehab Z., United States — My wife and I were at the screening last night. We loved the film and learned so much about climbing and the sacrifices made by porters and their families. Great job! I’m still in awe at the imagery. Breathtaking!

Andreas T. — Great documentary! Glad you keep making Iara-style films and dedicating your talent and resources to some of the less fortunate people on this planet. It was an absolute pleasure to see you and your work again. The video makes a sustainable impression on the viewer and brings a foreign world and its people into the hearts and minds of the audience. Good luck with all your future projects.

Mareshah D. — So pleased to know you! You did an excellent job portraying the good and the bad, the challenges and the triumphs, the humor and the culture, the happy and the sad, and just life and the matter-of-fact way it is lived by so many. Thank you for your work bringing more awareness to the Pakistani porters!

Joe R. — Incredible film! Loved seeing things from the perspective of the porters and the Pakistani culture that was interjected in! Thank you.

Sha N., Singapore — Good film! Thanks to Iara Lee for arranging the screening in Singapore. I did not know of this mountain and the invisible porters who work there. Definitely an educational experience for me.

Chin Kong Y., Singapore — I liked the film very much. Breathtaking footage, deep human interest, surreal environment, humbling conclusion.

Noor J. — It was an exceptional film. The visuals, sounds, and cinematography were amazing and brought tears to my eyes. Congratulations on a wonderful screening. It’s a must watch for those who want to learn filmmaking.

Rikki K., Japan — I just finished watching the K2 film. Wow, I jumped right in, and had a blast! Words cannot describe the greatness of this work. I really, really enjoyed it!

Amitt B., India — I watched K2 in India. Really amazing work!

Ted F., United States — Seeing the film on DCP was an extraordinary experience—Jawad Sharif’s camerawork and editing were extraordinary!

Anmar K., United States — It was so heartening to see a positive, human side of Pakistan so beautifully encapsulated in your documentary. It made me utterly grateful to you for making it. My reaction was different from the last time I saw it, at the mountain film festival in Lahore last year, because this time, I was seeing it with a foreign audience. Thank you for making the documentary!

Imran K., Pakistan — This is really a great film that has moved many young people in Pakistan.

Bistra D., Bulgaria — Your film is very beautiful and meaningful.

Anna V., Bulgaria — It will be a pleasure to share this amazing film with my friends. I am so glad that it has experienced great success. It is a really, really great film! Thank you for sharing it here in Bulgaria!

Yara T., Jordan — The movie was beautiful and simply factual without any made-up additions, which can often be found in documentaries. I am glad your movie is creating change in the lives of the locals in Pakistan. And just like you said, beauty in countries that are terrorized by the media is the most genuine.

Randa S., Jordan — I went to the screening and really enjoyed watching the film. Thank you for being you and for taking the initiative to talk about the tough lives and suffering of the sherpas in Pakistan, as well as for showing the beauty of the country and the kindness and simplicity of its people.

Anastasiya L., Belarus — I liked the movie and the fact that you raised the question of human rights. In Belarus, we stand for the abolition of capital punishment.

Nataly B., Ukraine — It was wonderful. I love movies like this, which show the reality of life. It was really made from the heart. Thank you so much for an unforgettable evening and for your art.

Christina B., Ukraine — An impressive masterpiece. Thank you, lara Lee, for your optimism, persistence, and trying to change our wicked world.

Yaroslav M., Ukraine — I had an indescribable feeling watching this awesome movie! Thank you for doing such a great job! Iara Lee is a source of positive energy. I think that everyone who meets her feels the same.

Daria V., Ukraine — Thank you so much for the film. You gave a mind-opening speech after the screening. I am also very impressed by your projects—there are so many of them!

Maria T., Ukraine — Такий дивний, різний і прекрасний світ… фільм, де показано про вражаючу красу природи і водночас таку небезпечну працю людей, буденність їхнього життя…

Елена T., Ukraine — Яра Ли , показ фильма ‘K2, невидимые помощники.” Многие говорят что мир нельзя изменить. его не нужно менять. нам нужно в нем меняться. Я не попала на первую презентацию фильма и меня уникальным образом занесло в туристический клуб Одессы “Романтик” и получилось все как надо;) удивительная атмосфера юности , желания жить и аромат пионерской зорьки что ли. Я почувствовала фильм совсем иначе.) я наконец поняла что история о Герое это вся история целиком.

Amina, Somaliland — We screened K2 and the Invisible Footmen at the Hargeysa Cultural Center. The post-film discussion created an interesting debate on human rights, civil rights for workers, child labor abuse, landscapes, and how the Western media sometimes gives inaccurate images of other societies. One of the attendees commented, “With this film, we have seen a different Pakistan, unknown to all of us.”

Moetta G., Ivory Coast — I really liked the film. It was incredible, with a lot of emotions and humanity. Very well made. The landscapes were breathtaking.

Gabriel C., Brazil — Congratulations on your film and for showing the mountain from such an intimate point of view. You keep doing a great job!

Emanuel M., Brazil — Excellent documentary! Congratulations!

NahJah G., Bulgaria — I watched your film and it’s great! I love it! As human beings, we are part of nature and it’s normal to be concerned with it. Thank you for your amazing work!

Alexander M., Bulgaria — I was at the screening yesterday and had a very nice evening watching your film. The big hall of the Cinema House in Sofia was almost full and many people in the audience were mountaineers. The film provided a good insight into the lives of people we usually take for granted. It must have been difficult to go there and actually make the film.

Мартин B., Bulgaria — The film was amazing! It caused me to think deeply about the mountains as a powerful spiritual magnet for some of us, like myself. I’ve recommended the movie to some friends.

Rowan C., Ngāmotu — I watched the K2 film. It was pretty cool! I know how uncomfortable it can feel on our small 2,500m mountain just walking uphill (and downhill can be worse), so I couldn’t imagine the pain and the perseverance of the footmen and their ridiculously heavy loads at high altitude. I wouldn’t want to put myself in such risky situations, but the mountains are very beautiful!

Jan K., Liechtenstein — It was impressive to see behind the scenes and have an idea of what really goes on. For me, your movie was great. Congratulations!

Markus B., Liechtenstein — I liked the movie and I see it as a big metaphor for what is going wrong in the world, how the West is treating the rest of the world and how capitalism is destroying humanity. Thanks for making this movie!

Ruth F., Liechtenstein — Thank you for the great movie! It made me very thoughtful. A topic that I knew a bit about but did not have access to. An example of what is going wrong in our world. I respect your work and your courage to do this education very much.

Elisabeth N., Austria — I really liked the film and everything about your way of filmmaking. What you do seems so meaningful that I had to write you to say how thankful I am that there are people like you in the film industry!

Michaela H., Liechtenstein — We went to your movie screening last week in Schaan, Liechtenstein. It was really inspiring! I admire your work and your attitude. Keep up the good spirit!

Lorenzo S., Italy — The event was really interesting and well organized. The cinema was totally full! I really like the movies that your organization makes, and the people who introduced the film were nice and fun. Please continue in that way!

Gleide N., Brazil — Nos é que agradecemos pelo maravilhoso trabalho e profissionalismo, que seu caminho seja repleto de sucesso, realizações, felicidade e muita paz! Beijinhos e abraços com muito carinho.

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