Touching the void

Touching the Void, released in 2003, is based on the book of the same name by Joe Simpson about Simpson and Simon Yates' disastrous attempt to climb Siula Grande (6,344m) in the Cordillera Huayhuash in the Peruvian Andes.

The year was 1985 and the two friends are experienced and skilled climbers. The remote and difficult rock face had never been climbed before. After a successful three and a half day climb, disaster strikes when Joe falls and breaks his leg in several places. With no hope of outside rescue, they make the decision to try to descend Joe one rope length at a time, which becomes a slow, painful and risky process.

Accidentally lowering the injured Joe over the edge of a glacial crevasse, Simon is forced to make the difficult decision to cut the rope so as not to be dragged down to certain death.

How the already injured Joe subsequently survives the fall and, under great time pressure, makes his way back to base camp on his own is a story that both surprises and inspires. In the film, Joe and Simon return to Siula Grande for the first time to retell their story.

A mixture of documentary and drama, the film received enormous critical acclaim upon its release, with the press calling it 'the greatest documentary in British cinema history'.

Touching the Void beats any Hollywood action-drama movie any day of the week. Although the outcome is a foregone conclusion, it's both incredibly nerve-wracking and heartbreaking while thoughtfully tackling heavy topics like extreme human endurance, deep friendship, and the mysteries of life in general.