Josh Lowell
Josh Lowell is the founder of Big UP Productions and has been producing and directing climbing and outdoor adventure films for nearly 20 years. Along with co-director Peter Mortimer, Josh’s feature documentaries including King Lines (2007) have won dozens of festival awards, garnered two Emmys, and aired on Discovery, NBC, Netflix, and other global platforms. A passionate climber himself, Lowell and his brother, Brett Lowell, spent seven years documenting Tommy Caldwell’s quest to climb the Dawn Wall, including over 60 days of filming while living on the wall with the climbers.
Peter Mortimer
Peter Mortimer is the founder of US-based production company Sender Films. Since earning his MFA in film from University of Southern California, Peter has made documentaries, TV series and commercials in the adventure and climbing space, including the Emmy-winning King Lines (2007), The First Ascent Series (2010) and Valley Uprising (2014). Peter is a lifelong rock climber and a fan of the sport’s history and characters. With The Dawn Wall, he brings one of the greatest climbing tales of a generation to an audiences across the world, and shines a light on Tommy Caldwell’s exceptional life journey and tenacious drive.
About The Film
In January, 2015, American rock climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson captivated the world with their effort to climb The Dawn Wall, a seemingly impossible 3,000 foot rock face in Yosemite National Park, California. The pair lived on the sheer vertical cliff for weeks, igniting a frenzy of global media attention. But for Tommy Caldwell, The Dawn Wall was much more than just a climb. It was the culmination of a lifetime defined by overcoming obstacles. At the age of 22, the climbing prodigy was taken hostage by rebels in Kyrgyzstan. Shortly after, he lost his index finger in an accident, but resolved to come back stronger. When his marriage fell apart, he escaped the pain by fixating on the extraordinary goal of free climbing The Dawn Wall. Blurring the line between dedication and obsession, Caldwell and his partner Jorgeson spend six years meticulously plotting and practicing their route. On the final attempt, with the world watching, Caldwell is faced with a moment of truth. Should he abandon his partner to fulfill his ultimate dream, or risk his own success for the sake of their friendship?