Pakistan: Ali Sadpara documentary The Last First: Winter K2 lauded after Apple TV release
The film explores the human cost of the 2021 expedition.
If you want to delve deeper into the human cost associated with the changing culture of extreme mountain climbing, you can now stream The Last First: Winter K2 on Apple TV.
Released on the streaming platform on Friday, the documentary revolves around the tragic 2021 expedition in which legendary Pakistani climber Mohammad Ali Sadpara, Iceland’s John Snorri and Chile’s Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto lost their lives attempting the first winter ascent of K2.
The Last First: Winter K2 first made international headlines when it premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in January.
For many viewers, the documentary is less about mountaineering and more about the people associated with it. Some netizens shared their reviews of the film following its release on Apple TV on Friday.
One user on X said the documentary is “worth every minute”.
Another called it a “devastating” watch, while pointing out that Sajid, Ali’s son who survived the expedition and later participated in the search operation to recover his father’s body, deserves “a separate piece altogether”.
Sajid also announced the release of the documentary on X.
“From the slopes of k2 winter to the world, the fallen heroes of K2 winter forever in our hearts rest in peace,” he wrote.
Many responded to his post with heartfelt condolences, offering warm words of support.
“Just finished watching it. May your father rest in peace. I really admire your strength, brother. Allah aap ko sabr de (May Allah grant you patience),” wrote one user.
Another praised the film and offered condolences.
“The film has real footage and was shot on location. It is the first time in history that Pakistani climbers’ achievements have been acknowledged internationally. This will also help promote mountaineering in Pakistan internationally,” Sajid said of the documentary while addressing a press conference in Skardu on Sunday.
With a 100 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score and growing praise from across the globe, The Last First: Winter K2 is proving to be more than a mountaineering film. It’s a moving exploration of ambition, loss and heroes who, more often than not, get lost in the pages of history.
Reference Link:- https://images.dawn.com/news/1195958
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
