The mountaineering documentary "Tribute to Failure" is now available online. It is about the four Swiss professional mountaineers Nicolas Hojac, Stephan Siegrist, Jonas Schild and Andy Schnarf and their attempt to be the first rope team to climb the 6543 meter high Mt. Shivling in the Indian Garhwal Himalayas via the south face.
Altitude sickness and the most difficult conditions did not allow the expedition to be a success in the classic sense. And so much of the film revolves around one of the most important elements of mountaineering: failure. He shows that this aspect also includes grandiose moments, unforgettable moments and intense experiences - sometimes even more than a smooth success.
The documentation thrives on situations and moods, interwoven with sensitive interviews Hojac, winner, Schild and sniff. It shows what effort has to be made, what dedication, but also the ability to suffer, is necessary before the decision on success or failure is made on the mountain.
The south face of Mt. Shivling remains unclimbed
After the first expedition in autumn 2021, the four alpinists tried a second time a year later. But even then they had to turn back shortly before the summit. It has not yet been decided whether they will set off again for Mt. Shivling. “You can't just do an expedition of this kind on the side. On the other hand, we've already done so much planning work that we could do it in exactly the same way," says Nicolas Hojac.
The rope team
- Nicolas Hojac (31), from Niederscherli and living in Spiez, is one of the leading alpinists in Switzerland. In 2015, together with Ueli Steck, he set a new rope team speed record on the north face of the Eiger.
- Stephan Siegrist (51) from Ringgenberg has shaped the mountaineering scene for over 30 years. On all 7 continents he has managed first ascents and ascents.
- Jonas Schild (31) is a professional mountaineer and mountain guide and lives in Bern. In recent years he has managed various technically demanding tours in the Alps as well as in Patagonia and the Himalayas.
- Andy Schnarf (43) is a mountain guide and, together with his wife, runs a special timber works in Bitsch, VS. His passion are long tours on rock and ice.
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Credits: Cover picture Red Bull Content Pool