SHIFTER calls the film “simple and humble, yet epic and grand, while celebrating the best humanity has to offer” in his Tenzing film review.
“Tenzing is epic and grand, yet simple and humble, while celebrating the best humanity has to offer.” – Kevin Bourne
One of the films I was personally looking forward to the most at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival was Tenzing based on a true story about Tentsokzin Norgay (played by Genden Phuntsok) and Sir Edmund Hillary (played by Tom Hiddleston), the first men to climb Mount Everest. This wasn’t one of the more buzzworthy films at TIFF, but it definitely should’ve been.
It begins with Tenzing’s childhood fascination with Chomolungma (aka Mount Everest), who they consider a goddess. We then follow his childhood interactions with British mountaineer George Mallory, his family’s move to Nepal, him becoming a man, finding love, and and starting a family, and finally his introduction to climbing expeditions.
The film not only explores religion, love, family, and friendship, but a shared humanity that exists beyond cultural differences. Tenzing, a Bhotia Tibetan, and Hillary, a New Zealander, share a commonality as foreigners among this team of Sherpa and British climbers. Under the leadership of John Hunt (played by Willem Dafoe), the mixed team of mountaineers must learn to work together in order to not only survive, but make history.
The film also has underlying themes around belonging, ambition, pursuing your dreams, and pushing yourself to your limits. Yes, “universal stories” sounds so cliché and overused, but this is really one of those as Tenzing overcomes poverty and abandonment to redefine what real greatness is all about.
What we learn is that the difference between Tenzing and the Brits is his respect for nature. While Hunt sees the mountain and nature as things to be conquered in order to stroke his ego, Tenzing sees them as something to honor, respect, and be one with.
The beauty of the scenic mountains is only matched by its dangers. This lends to beautiful landscapes balanced with death defying action sequences and cinematography which makes this film visually stunning while keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. The stakes are high, literally, as our characters risk their lives at every turn.
But what makes the film special is the onscreen friendship between Tenzing and Hilary. What starts out as two men who respect and trust each other and see each other as equals becomes a friendship and brotherhood that spreads to the entire team. Phuntsok and Hiddleston do an excellent and believable job bringing this unlikely, odd couple friendship to life. Meanwhile, Everest aka Chomolungma is almost a main character in the film as Tenzing treats her like a goddess who is not only worthy of respect, but must be appeased.
In the end, Tenzing is simple and humble, yet epic and grand, while celebrating the best humanity has to offer; things we need more of in our world today.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s editor-in-chief and Senior Arts & Entertainment Reporter focusing on film & TV, music, and fashion. He was named one of 340 international voters for the Golden Globe Awards and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
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