‘Mountain Queen’ – The Untold Story of the Woman Who Conquered Everest 10 Times
The woman who overcame the pain of domestic violence and set the record for the most Everest summits is featured in the documentary “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa.”
Lhakpa Sherpa, 51, belongs to the Sherpa ethnic group in eastern Nepal, in the highlands of the Himalayas. Before conquering the “roof of the world,” she worked as a guide and porter for climbers.
In 2022, Lhakpa became the first woman in the world to summit Everest 10 times – a milestone captured in the film directed by Lucy Walker, who was previously nominated for an Oscar for her documentary Waste Land (2010).
A Journey Beyond Limits
Beyond recounting her record-breaking achievement, the film portrays Lhakpa’s resilience and emotional struggles. For many, climbing Everest is one of their greatest accomplishments, but Lhakpa views it as just the beginning of providing a better life for her family. She dreams of starting her own guiding company and securing sponsorships, all while washing dishes at a supermarket in Connecticut, USA.
The film documents her perseverance, from her childhood in a Nepali village where she had no formal education, to pushing beyond her limits. When she moved to the United States, her English was limited, as her vocabulary came mostly from communicating with tourists.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Lucy Walker maintains an objective perspective by keeping a certain distance from her subject. She explores Lhakpa’s multifaceted personality through interview techniques, allowing Lhakpa to express her own emotions. As a result, viewers see both the strength and vibrancy of the “Mountain Queen” while empathizing with her inner wounds.
The protagonist transforms her trauma into strength, showing that climbing is not just a sport but a way to discover oneself and break limits. Standing on the summit in 2022, Lhakpa compared herself to a “dirty old panda” rummaging through trash bins in Connecticut – revealing the harsh realities of her life in America.
The Pain of Domestic Violence
Lhakpa’s personal story includes deeply moving moments. After her first Everest summit, she met and married climber George Dijmărescu in 2002. Just two years later, George began showing signs of violence.
According to Hartford Courant journalist Michael Kodas, Lhakpa was abused by her husband during an expedition when the team encountered bad weather. Kodas took photos of her lying unconscious with a swollen face.
While the journalist wanted to condemn George’s violence, Lhakpa only wanted the photos deleted because she was too ashamed. She compared George to a “Yeti” – a fierce creature her grandmother used to tell her about as a child.
Instead of leaving, Lhakpa stayed with George due to financial hardship. In 2015, she divorced him after moving to a shelter for domestic violence victims. She then won custody of her children and continued climbing.
“Everest is my doctor. It heals my soul” – Lhakpa said.
Storytelling and Critical Reception
The filmmaker weaves interviews with climbing sequences to create two parallel narratives, capturing both the psychological and technical aspects of mountaineering and the harshness of the environment.
In interview segments, Lhakpa wears traditional Nepali clothing to honor her cultural heritage. In one scene, she says:
“Look at me. I never went to school. If I can do it, anyone can do anything they want. Nature can change you, make you better.”
The story is illustrated with archival footage, including moments from expeditions and interviews with a younger Lhakpa as she continuously broke her own records. Some sequences show the dangers of climbing – crossing a crevasse on a narrow ladder, with wind and snow ever-present.
Critical Acclaim
Critics praised the film’s storytelling:
Decider: “Lhakpa’s story deserves to be known and might bring you to tears.”
Boston Globe: “Director Lucy Walker creates a study of female resilience, not limited to climbing Everest.”
Hollywood Reporter: “The film features stunning footage of Lhakpa on Everest, sometimes in snow and wind. But the life of this humble and strong woman is the highlight.”
According to Variety, Lucy Walker first learned about Lhakpa in 2004 while filming Blindsight (2006) in Tibet, a documentary about blind teenagers climbing LhakpaRi.
“Knowing how to film Mount Everest is a necessary technique for telling Lhakpa’s story. But this film needed a creative vision to weave the two narratives together” – the director said.
Primary Sources:
Netflix – Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa (documentary)
The Hollywood Reporter – Film review
Variety – Interview with director Lucy Walker
Decider – Film review
Boston Globe – Film review
Hartford Courant – Interview with journalist Michael Kodas