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Here to Climb (2024)

Here to Climb (2024)

Though climbing enthusiasts might relate to the subject, newcomers will find little to like or understand in this middling documentary

5.0

Movie

Austria, United States of America
English
Documentary
2024
ANNE SUNDBERG, FEMALE DIRECTOR
Alex Honnold, Cedar Wright, Sasha DiGiulian
79 min

TLDR

It wouldn’t have killed the producers to explain some of the jargon, come on.

What it's about

Chronicles Sasha DiGiulian’s rise to the top, from child prodigy to professional rock climber with more than a couple of track records under her belt.

The take

There’s no doubt that pro climber Sasha DiGiulian is a fiercely brave and talented woman. And between her early entry into the sport and multiple first female ascents, her journey warrants an equally impressive film. Unfortunately, Here To Climb isn’t that film. It fails to capture DiGiulian’s spark and instead shows us a canned version of the athlete, one who may look appealing in inspirational clips and sponsored commercials, but here looks too guarded and rehearsed to seem authentic. The directors also don’t seem keen on appealing on a non-climbing audience since it doesn’t care to explain much of the jargon used, nor does it take its time to contextualize DiGiulian’s sport and success. The rare time it looks back, like when it introduced Lynn Hill and the major impact she had on rock climbing, is when it actually shines.

What stands out

The cameraperson following DiGiulian’s climbs deserves way more props!

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