Broad Peak

In March 1988, the Polish climbing team leaves their Baltoro Glacier base camp to begin the ascent of Broad Peak. Zawada, their leader, voices concerns and urges caution given the dangerous winter conditions. Berbeka and Lwow push forward with the plan for a winter alpine-style ascent.

A blizzard strikes, tempering the ascent and prompting Zawada to urge the climbers to turn back if the storm doesn’t ease. The team pauses at high camp as the weather worsens, weighing the risks of pushing higher. The tension between ambition and safety defines the early phase of the expedition.

The next day, the group resumes the push toward the summit while Lwow urges caution and a retreat in the face of incoming bad weather. Berbeka remains determined to press on, defying his partner’s reservations. The ascent continues under tightening weather conditions.

Despite the odds, Berbeka pushes into the death zone and reaches the Broad Peak summit. The team back at base hears only intermittent radio contact until he confirms the ascent. He describes the triumphant moment before communication cuts off amid the harsh winds and fatigue.

Berbeka descends in difficult conditions and is airlifted back to base camp for medical care. He returns to Poland amid accolades and mainstream fame, but the climb also leaves him with traumatic flashbacks that linger for years.

Three months after the Broad Peak ascent, Berbeka reads an article by Lwow that claims he did not reach the Broad Peak summit, only a Rocky Summit 17 meters from the top. The revelation shocks him and throws the entire ascent into question. The incident triggers a shift in how he views the leadership and his own legacy.

Berbeka confronts Zawada about the article, and Zawada reveals that the team wanted his safe return and that Berbeka might have continued if he’d known the truth. The exchange exposes a rift over the decisions made during the expedition. Berbeka questions the leadership’s handling of the summit claim.

The controversy breaks in Poland, casting a shadow over the ascent. Berbeka withdraws from the mountaineering community, retreating from his past stardom and public attention. The incident lingers as a defining moment in his career.

In June 2012, Krzysztof Wielicki locates Berbeka and invites him to join an expedition to Broad Peak, hoping his experience can help achieve the winter ascent. At first, Berbeka hesitates, wary of past betrayals and the mountain’s dangers. Wielicki insists that Berbeka deserves to finally conquer Broad Peak.

Berbeka initially declines the invitation, but Wielicki’s persistence eventually convinces him to return to mountaineering for one final attempt. The rekindled collaboration marks a new chapter for both climbers. The decision sets the stage for the ambitious expedition.

The team—Wielicki, Berbeka, Adam Bielecki, Tomasz Kowalski, and Artur Małek—travels to the Karakoram to begin the Broad Peak winter ascent. The lineup brings together seasoned climbers with intense experience in extreme cold conditions. They prepare for a historic ascent under tight schedules.

During the 2012 summit push, Wielicki notes the team is running behind schedule and they reach the Rocky Summit, 17 meters from the true summit. There isn’t enough daylight to complete the climb, so they retreat to safety. The decision underscores the mountain’s unforgiving demands.

On 5 March 2013, Berbeka and the other three climbers press on despite daylight concerns and reach the true Broad Peak summit, achieving the first winter ascent. The team marks a historic triumph against harsh winter conditions. The moment culminates years of controversy, risk, and perseverance.

Before the credits roll, it is revealed that Berbeka and Kowalski died on their descent from Broad Peak. The true cost of the expedition becomes painfully clear. The film honors their memory and the complexities of mountaineering glory.