The dramatic alpine landscapes of Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park will soon become the setting for a major international film about legendary Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and his historic 1953 ascent of Mount Everest alongside Sir Edmund Hillary.
The Department of Conservation has granted permission for filming to take place next month on Malte Brun Pass near the Tasman Glacier and around the Hochstetter Icefall on the eastern side of Aoraki/Mount Cook. These locations will stand in for Everest base camp and the iconic Hillary Step.
DOC Ranger Ray Bellringer said, “These sites have been used for Everest-related documentaries and films before. All filming activities are subject to strict environmental conditions to ensure the protection of the natural landscape. DOC staff will be onsite daily to monitor compliance. This is an incredibly special place and it’s our role to protect it.”
Bellringer said the film’s production was not only a celebration of mountaineering history but also a tribute to the deep connection between New Zealand and Nepal through the Himalayan Trust. Since 1953, around 70 Nepalese, many from the Sherpa community, have studied at Lincoln University in areas such as nature-based tourism and community conservation.
“Sir Edmund Hillary dedicated much of his life after 1953 to supporting Nepalese communities,” he said. “It is fitting that this project recognises the life and contributions of Tenzing Norgay, and we are proud to provide a setting that supports this storytelling. It’s an iconic setting for an incredible story.”
Filming in New Zealand follows completed production work in Kathmandu. British actor Tom Hiddleston will play Sir Edmund Hillary, with Genden Phuntsok as Tenzing Norgay and Willem Dafoe portraying expedition leader John Hunt.
The production is expected to deliver a welcome economic boost to the local area, with cast and crew staying in the village and surrounding region. Set construction and logistical preparations are already underway.
“We’re pleased to support this movie project and help showcase it to the world,” Bellringer said. “For Aoraki and the staff here to play a small part in helping to make that happen is special.”
