A movie about the 1996 Everest climbing disaster that claimed the life of Kiwi Rob Hall and seven others will open the prestigious Venice International Film Festival.
Everest tells the story of two simultaneous expeditions to summit Mt Everest, which ended in disaster when the groups were caught in a blizzard on May 11th 1996.
New Zealander Rob Hall led one of the ill-fated groups, and is portrayed in the film by Australian Jason Clarke. British actress Keira Knightley plays his wife Jan Arnold, who was pregnant at the time her husband died.
The Venice International Film Festival is seen as an important stop on the race to Oscar gold. The 72nd festival begins on September 2nd, and a good reception here will be a big step towards earning Oscar nominations.
Jake Gyllenhaal co-stars as Scott Fischer, who led the second expedition, while Martin Henderson plays Andrew Harris, the other New Zealander who perished on the mountain.
