‘Unknown Land: Winter K2’ - The Last First: Winter K2

This documentary follows the 2021 race to make the first winter ascent of K2 and the tragedy that unfolds around it. Director Amir Bar-Lev examines the changing culture and human stakes of extreme mou

In the winter of 2021, Icelandic mountaineer John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Pakistani father and son Ali Sadpara and Sajid Sadpara set out to make the first winter ascent of K2. The film centers on their expedition toward the summit of K2 during its harshest season.

But they are not alone on the mountain. Influencer climbers and filming crews, commercial expedition clients, and a Nepali expedition team unwilling to remain confined to supporting Western climbers’ success all share the same dangerous route. With different goals and approaches intersecting under limited conditions, the competition to reach the summit becomes even more complicated.

Through this expedition, director Amir Bar-Lev examines the extreme mountaineering industry and its changing culture. Amid ice and unpredictable weather, questions of strategy, decision-making, hierarchy, and power intersect with situations where life and death hang in the balance.

Apple TV will release the film on October 2, 2026. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes, with Bar-Lev directing and Propagate Content, Ventureland, Object Studios, and West Buttermilk participating in the production.