Carl Woods
UK cinemas from 27 April
IN 2018, Max Stainton-Parfitt became the first person with cerebral palsy to reach an Everest base camp on . His journey is the focus of My Everest, a new documentary written and directed by Carl Woods.
When the documentary opens, Stainton-Parfitt is candid about his mission and his disability. “I’m doing this mad thing to prove people wrong,” he says. In the first few moments of the film, Stainton-Parfitt acknowledges that he faces difficulties that others don’t, yet he is willing to venture to one of the most challenging locations on Earth.
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The fact that Stainton-Parfitt doesn’t let cerebral palsy define his life is borne out by childhood videos included in the documentary. They show him as a son and a big brother – never saying a word about his disability. This mindset continues into adult life, as he becomes an avid horse rider via the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and moves to London from elsewhere in the UK, proving that cerebral palsy doesn’t stop him from living an independent life.
Though cerebral palsy causes many daily tasks to be a struggle, Stainton-Parfitt faces them with good humour. For instance, he jokes about his preference to talk about finance rather than take off a shirt, displaying lightheartedness about a condition that regularly proves challenging. And he often shows that he chooses to defy societal expectations of people with disabilities.
But the jokes fall away once Stainton-Parfitt sets his mind to conquering Mount Everest by trekking to the mountain’s . He is quickly confronted by the immense physicality of his mission, the daunting climbing altitudes and the rough terrain of Nepal.
Through intimate interactions and stunning cinematography, director Woods follows each step of the journey with compassion and care, reminding audiences that Everest doesn’t make exceptions – and that Stainton-Parfitt is enduring environments and conditions that would test anyone.
As progress continues towards South Base Camp, My Everest becomes increasingly about the human spirit, with Stainton-Parfitt’s support group assisting him.
His RDA and Sherpa supporters, as well as his partner Candy, also have to contend with the high altitudes and thinning air, along with the possibility of not being able to continue. Nonetheless, they consistently make Stainton-Parfitt their priority and share a collective desire to see him succeed, culminating in a poignant moment of triumph.
While Stainton-Parfitt makes a charming protagonist, My Everest also offers audiences rare insights into what happens after an achievement such as this. Despite raising funds for the RDA and being the focus of media appearances, Stainton-Parfitt is humbled by what he set out to do, particularly as he has to reckon with the expedition’s physical toll.
In one of the documentary’s more bittersweet interviews, we see him confess his fear not just for his own well-being but for those around him, leading to a frank discussion of his limits and how far he was willing to push himself just to prove people wrong.
It is a contemplative conclusion, and the unexpected pivot brings a moment of clarity, acceptance and maturity for audiences and the ambitious man they have been following.
My Everest is the story of a determined individual who wants to prove that anything is possible. In so doing, he exceeds expectations, not only by enduring harsh conditions but by pushing his own personal limits.
Katie Smith-Wong is a film critic based in London
