The documentary Sherpa is proof that having a camera on you at the right time can pay dividends. What started off as a film that explores climbing Mt. Everest from the Sherpas’ point of view turns into a vivid account of the 2014 ice avalanche incident that killed 16 Sherpas in a matter of minutes—marking the deadliest incident in the mountain’s history (until an even worse disaster struck in 2015).

Sherpa follows Phurba Tashi, a Sherpa who has summited Everest 21 times and, in 2014, is expected to break the record. He works for New Zealander Russell Brice, who speaks about his concerns for Sherpa safety (which often is contradicted by the pressures of making a profit). Once the disaster happens, the documentary shifts focus to the recovery effort and subsequent unrest among the Sherpa community.

While by no means a groundbreaking documentary in terms of presentation or subject matter, Sherpa, at 96 minutes, is an often fascinating account of the risks Sherpas take—typically for the benefit of foreigners—and the cultural implications for their increasing displeasure. If you’re interested in mountain climbing (I find the culture and stories consistently enthralling, but would never do technical climbing myself), Sherpa is a must-see.

Oddly, the movie appears to only be available in DVD format. While I normally don’t comment on format, the resolution quality of the documentary is rather poor. The entire film looks pixelated at times, and the subtitles of especially low quality. Mountaineering movies deserve to be seen in high resolution on Blu-ray, so it’s a real shame Lionsgate isn’t giving it a modern day treatment (or that the filmmakers didn’t use the proper equipment).

Visual quality aside, Sherpa is a well-made documentary that offers insight into people most of us have heard of, but few understand.

Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.