{
  "id": 7606443,
  "title": "Why ‘Tenzing’ Director Jennifer Peedom Made the Leap From Docs to Narrative With the Climbing Drama",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/why-tenzing-director-jennifer-peedom-made-the-leap-from-docs-to",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-15T18:00:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TheWrap",
    "slug": "thewrap",
    "url": "https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/tenzing-jennifer-peedom-interview-tiff-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and his Nepalese-Indian sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay made history by becoming the first two people to successfully summit Mount Everest. This incredible feat serves as the basis for the upcoming Apple Studios film \"Tenzing,\" starring Tom Hiddleston and Genden Phuntsok in the titular roles.\n\nJennifer Peedom, the Australian documentarian behind previous films like \"Sherpa\" (2015) and \"Mountain\" (2017), made the leap from documentaries to narrative feature films with \"Tenzing.\" Peedom explained that the story itself, with its themes of faith, family, and identity, was the driving force behind her decision to take on this new challenge. She had been fascinated by Tenzing's story for years, having previously directed a documentary about the Sherpas' perspective on the Everest expedition in her 2010 film \"Sherpa.\"\n\nPhuntsok, who plays Tenzing in the film, admitted that while he was familiar with the general story of Tenzing Norgay, he didn't know the intricate details prior to being cast. After being cast, he immersed himself in reading books and documentaries about Tenzing to fully prepare for his role. Peedom revealed that it took time to find the right actor for the role, as she worked with Tibetan filmmaker Pema Sedan, who introduced Phuntsok to her. They eventually brought Phuntsok to Kathmandu for casting sessions.\n\nDespite the challenges in finding the right actors, Peedom expressed her satisfaction with the final result, stating that \"It was the work of the Tibetan filmmaker Pema Sedan, who I was introduced to by a friend of mine who shared his work with Genden in it. Genden is an accomplished actor, but has never worked in English before.\" Once they had secured Phuntsok, Peedom knew he was the right fit for the role, saying, \"I knew from the minute I saw the first film that Genden was in that he was our Tenzing.\"",
  "summary": "TIFF 2026: The film stars Tom Hiddleston and Genden Phuntsok and follows the first two people to summit Mount Everest The post Why ‘Tenzing’ Director Jennifer Peedom Made the Leap From Docs to Narrative With the Climbing Drama appeared first on TheWrap .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}