THE LAST FIRST: WINTER K2 Trailer Chronicles a Deadly Race to Make Mountaineering History
K2 is terrifying enough under normal circumstances. Trying to reach its summit in the middle of winter takes the danger to another level, and Apple TV’s new documentary The Last First: Winter K2 puts viewers right in the middle of one of the mountain’s most tragic expeditions.
Apple TV has released the official trailer for the mountain climbing documentary, which follows the climbers attempting the first winter ascent of K2 in 2021.
The film premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year before making its way to other festivals, and it looks like a fascinating, brutal examination of extreme mountaineering and the culture surrounding it.
Directed by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev, The Last First: Winter K2 centers on Icelandic climber John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Pakistani father-and-son climbers Ali Sadpara and Sajid Sadpara, with Ali serving as their climbing leader.
Their goal was historic, but they weren’t alone on the mountain. Commercial expeditions, influencer climbers, film crews, and a Nepalese climbing team were also attempting K2, creating a complicated mix of competition, money, status, national pride, and personal ambition in a place where a mistake can be fatal.
The 2021 push ultimately ended in tragedy, with five climbers losing their lives during the efforts surrounding K2’s first winter ascent.
The documentary also examines how modern alpinism has changed through commercialization and social media, while exploring tensions between marginalized climbers and the traditional climbing establishment.
It’s a side of extreme mountaineering that goes far beyond the familiar question of whether someone can reach the summit.
The film’s official synopsis reads: “Amir Bar-Lev tells a complex, harrowing, moving story that takes an unflinching look at the industry of extreme mountain climbing & its changing culture.
“Focusing on a 2021 expedition, this follows Icelander John Snorri Sigurjónsson and Pakistani father-son team of Ali & Sajid Sadpara, a party of mountaineers who set out to be the first to summit K2 in the winter, when the mountain's conditions are the cruelest.
“The men soon find themselves sharing the treacherous ascent with influencer climbers and their film crews, commercial expedition clients, and a Nepalese team no longer content to help Westerners achieve climbing glory.
“The Last First: Winter K2 takes us to the icy heights and unpredictable weather of K2 and reveals a surprising and layered story—one of strategy & determination, class & caste, money & power—all under life-and-death circumstances.”
The Last First: Winter K2 also features iconic Nepalese mountaineer Nimsdai, who tragically died in an avalanche a few months ago.
Bar-Lev previously directed the documentaries Fighter, My Kid Could Paint That, The Tillman Story, Re: Generation, 12-12-12, Happy Valley, and Long Strange Trip.
There have been plenty of films about K2 over the years, but The Last First: Winter K2 has an especially interesting angle. It digs into who gets recognition for these achievements, who gets left out of the story, how money and social media have changed climbing, and what happens when all of those pressures collide at deadly altitude.
For anyone fascinated by mountaineering documentaries and stories about people pushing themselves into places where humans really aren’t meant to be, this one looks well worth checking out.
Apple will release The Last First: Winter K2 in select U.S. theaters and stream it on Apple TV starting October 2, 2026. Check out the trailer and let us know if you’ll be watching.