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Free Solo — An Underrated Documentary
Watching the Oscar-winning film even if you’re not a climber pays off
In 2018, I watched “Free Solo” by director Jimmy Chin at the cinema. A film about a man climbing a 1000m high vertical rock formation — “El Capitan” — without a rope or other safety.
My friend persuaded me to join him in going to the movies. I wasn’t interested in watching the film at first.
I wasn’t a big fan of climbing back then.
I only heard that the film won an Oscar for “Best Documentary,” so I thought why not give this film a chance.
In the end, it was me sitting in that cinema chair, being overwhelmed, excited, and happy that I decided to watch it. Never before had I seen such a thrilling documentary.
The crew — all experienced climbers themselves — discusses how challenging it was to not endanger Alex Honnold by distracting him or pressuring him to attempt the climb at all.
In the movie they also explain how they solved recording the sounds and filming him, while he climbs up the El Capitan.
An unbelievably thrilling dramaturgy, which I had never seen before in a documentary, starts when he first practices with a rope.
