Jennifer Peedom has spent her career at altitude. Her 2015 documentary Sherpa captured the Everest industry from the perspective of the Nepalese guides. Not the climbers at the top. The men who carry the weight. A decade later, she has made the jump from documentary to drama, and she has brought the same subject with her.
Tenzing, which opened in U.S. theaters on October 9 and arrived on Apple TV+ on October 16, tells the story of Tenzing Norgay's 1953 ascent of Everest alongside Edmund Hillary. Tom Hiddleston plays Hillary. Willem Dafoe appears as expedition leader Colonel John Hunt. Caitríona Balfe plays expedition secretary Jill Henderson. The role of Norgay went to Genden Phuntsok, a Tibetan actor in his first English-language role. Peedom found him through the work of director Pema Sedan, whose films had screened at Venice.
The script comes from Luke Davies. Peedom has described the project as a "very interior journey" about faith, family, belonging, and identity. A story that, she told The Wrap, "needed drama to be able to tell it properly." The film holds a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and won the audience award at the Mill Valley Film Festival on October 12.
Tenzing premiered at the 53rd Telluride Film Festival on September 4. With Deadline now hosting a screening series conversation with Peedom, the film is making its push through awards season.
