‘Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa,’ a documentary chronicling the life of Lhakpa Sherpa, who has climbed Mount Everest ten times—the most of any woman in the world—is set to premiere on Netflix on July 31. Directed by two-time Oscar-nominated director Lucy Walker, the documentary debuted to a full house at the IFC Center in New York City.
Following the screening, Lhakpa expressed her determination to attempt an 11th ascent of Mt. Everest. She stated, “I sincerely want to say that I won’t let others take my record easily. I’ve maintained these records while washing dishes and cleaning houses. So, I’m going to try climbing Mt. Everest again.”
Lhakpa shared that now her children are grown and educated, she feels freer to pursue her passion. “The mountains are my closest friends. As a child, I never had the chance to watch television. The mountains were my television. They were my schools.”
Having lived in Connecticut for over 20 years, Lhakpa mentioned her goal to reach the highest points in all U.S. states, having already completed nine of them. She reiterated her connection to the mountains, saying, “Mountains were my everything – my view, my television, my best friend, and my school.”
She also voiced her joy at seeing more women climbing Mt. Everest and following in her footsteps. Lhakpa aims to share her experiences and inspire others, aspiring to guide and mentor new climbers. “Now many Sherpa women are climbing Mount Everest; they follow my footsteps. I’m very proud of that. I’m very happy. I want to teach my experience to other people. I want to be a guide. This is my dream.”
Director Lucy Walker recounted her fascination with Lhakpa’s story and her decision to create a documentary portrait to capture it. Walker expressed how profoundly moved she was by Lhakpa’s journey, emphasizing the power of film as a medium to learn about the world and expand awareness. She stated, “I was so moved by Lhakpa’s story. And I think that this medium of film is still the most powerful medium. And for me, it’s how I learn about the world and how I expand my awareness.”
Walker highlighted how rare it is to find someone who inspires her during her own struggles, and Lhakpa is one of those exceptional individuals. “And to have someone that when I’m having struggles that inspires me, they’re very rare. But those are the people that I think that I’ve gravitated towards making films about,” she explained. This inspiration is what drives Walker to make films, and she feels that Lhakpa’s story is one that the world needs to hear. Despite Lhakpa’s significant achievements, her story remains largely unknown, which further motivated Walker to bring it to light. “And it was to me the fact that nobody knew her story and all that you’ve accomplished in your life,” Walker added.
While Lhakpa is arguably the world’s best female mountaineer, Walker wanted to do justice to more than just her mountain climbing feats. She aimed to capture what Lhakpa stood for, the challenges she faced, and the resilience she demonstrated. “What you stood for, what you’ve been through, and what you climbed up out of. I always felt like that was a part of the story, and so I dreamed of being able to use my skills to tell the story like this,” Walker shared.
The documentary, which will be subtitled in Nepali when it premieres on Netflix, not only covers Lhakpa’s climbs but also delves into her personal struggles, including domestic violence from her Romanian-American husband and the subsequent trauma faced by her daughter. The documentary’s recurring message to women worldwide is clear: “Never give up.”
Lhakpa , the first woman to summit Everest ten times, achieved her latest ascent on May 12, 2022. She first reached the peak in 2000, becoming the first Nepali woman to do so. Though Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was the first Nepali woman to climb Everest in 1993, she tragically did not survive the descent.
Born in Makalu village in Sankhuwasabha, Nepal, Lhakpa is the eleventh child in her family. She married Romanian-born American citizen George Dimarescu in 2002, and the couple climbed Everest together from 2001 to 2006. Lhakpa, a mother of two daughters and one son, initially worked as a cook for trekking guides before being inspired to become a mountaineer herself.
