Talking Outdoors with the team behind the film K2 and the Invisible Footmen

“On the one hand we’re perfectly happy to load them up with 40 kgs of stuff but unhappy when they lighten their own load by leaving trash, which they probably see as less significant in the moment, to the immediate concern of surviving at high altitude with unimaginable weight on their shoulders.”

On this edition of Talking Outdoors, we had the distinct pleasure and privilege of hosting Director Iara Lee and Director of Photography Jawad Sharif to talk about their incredible documentary film “K2 and the Invisible Footmen”. You can watch the full film for free on our blog.

Iara lee is an activist, filmmaker, cultural explorer, and sports enthusiast. A Brazilian of Korean descent, she was raised in Sao Paulo and has since adopted an itinerant lifestyle. Her films aim to advance awareness about issues of ecological, social, and economic justice, and they have screened in venues ranging from the Berlinale and Sundance film festivals to refugee camps and community centers around the world.

“Is there a cultural difference where some climbers are immortalized because of where they’re from whilst others are forgotten? And is that something we should change or something we should accept as being a natural difference between global cultures?”

Her recent documentaries offer viewers a glimpse of adventurers exploring the post-nuclear landscape of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, artists producing vibrant work in Burkina Faso in the wake of a popular insurrection, desert-dwellers in Western Sahara fighting for self-determination in Africa’s last colony, and activists whose homes on the island states of the South Pacific are threatened by climate change. Iara is also the founder of the Cultures of Resistance Network, which promotes global solidarity by supporting agitators, educators, farmers, and artists pursuing creative nonviolent resistance.

Jawad Sharif is an award-winning filmmaker who has come into prominence for exploring the often-ignored social subjects. His work focuses on the interface between the dominant culture and the real impact on people, society and the environment. He is among the rare filmmakers who are proficient in weaving compelling visuals and narratives in both fiction and non-fiction films.