Tommy Caldwell lost an index finger, survived a hostage crisis in Kyrgyzstan, and then decided to free climb a 3,000-foot wall most climbers thought was impossible.
Trailer for “The Dawn Wall”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson spent 19 days living on the side of El Capitan during their 2015 Dawn Wall climb.
- Years before the climb, Caldwell was held hostage in Kyrgyzstan and pushed one of his captors off a cliff to escape.
Watch “The Dawn Wall”
You can check the latest streaming options for “The Dawn Wall” on JustWatch.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 92/100
- IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 96/100 (Users); 100/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: “The Dawn Wall” was directed by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer. The doc runs 100 minutes and plays like a survival story, a sports film, and a portrait of obsession all at once.
Release Date: 2017
Other Unique Stuff
- During the climb, people around the world started following their progress. Reporters and camera crews gathered below El Capitan while Caldwell and Jorgeson were still sleeping on the wall each night.
- The Dawn Wall gets the first sunlight on El Capitan every morning. It is also one of the steepest and smoothest parts of the mountain. For years, many climbers believed a free climb there was impossible.
Wrap Up:
“The Dawn Wall” climb is crazy, but Caldwell’s backstory is even crazier. If you liked “Free Solo,” this one is required viewing.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc