Himalayan Ice

2020 • 46 minutes

About this movie

In December 2018, alpinists Ari Novak and Karsten Delap set out for India to explore one of the most remote valleys in the Indian Himalaya with local climber Karn Kowshik. Their goal was to meet with the indigenous population of the Spiti Valley and try to support local ice climbing. What they found was perhaps the biggest treasure trove of unclimbed ice in all the Himalaya. Himalayan Ice tells the history-making story of their journey to put up 9 first ascents and start an ice climbing movement by the local population. From their journey to the valley along the most treacherous road on earth to walking amongst Snow Leopards, the expedition was anything but expected.

Ratings and reviews

As a woman of color whose family lived for generations in the foothills of the Himalayas, this film saddens me immensely. It perpetuates a narrative of dominance and supremacy over those deemed “lesser” or “in need” of an enlightenment only a white person can give. I am profoundly saddened by this. This film feeds into problematic cultural exploitation and erasure. I hope those involved can reflect on how this type of thinking is a very pillar of structural violence, forcing people like myself to live in a world where my family is reduced to “villager.” How painful.

Along with the others in the comments I am disappointed in the white saviorism coming from this film. This film crew did not 'discover' or start ice climbing in this area. I would love to see big companies with resources and influence lifting up the communities they are filming in, hiring locals to produce the film, and ensuring the the community is compensated for their time and emotional effort. How are you going to change based on the feedback received on this film?