About Free Solo

Free Solo is a 2018 American documentary film directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. The film revolves around professional rock climber, Alex Honnold, and his quest to perform a free solo climb of El Capitan, a 3,000 foot vertical rock in Yosemite National Park, without any ropes or safety measures. The film captures the immense preparations, physical and mental challenges, as well as the profound emotions associated with such a daring and life-threatening endeavor.

Making / Production

The filmmakers, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, faced the intense challenge of filming a subject in the midst of an incredibly dangerous activity. The filming was done with state-of-the-art equipment and drones, and often required the crew themselves to be skilled climbers. The film is a product of National Geographic Documentary Films and was released by Greenwich Entertainment.

Actors

• Alex Honnold: The professional rock climber and subject of the film who takes on the daunting task of free soloing El Capitan. His grit, determination, and fearlessness are portrayed impressively in the film.
• Sanni McCandless: Honnold's girlfriend, who provides emotional support to him throughout his challenging journey. Her character depicts the personal consequences and emotional toll of Honnold's pursuit.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film climaxes with the first ever successful free solo climb of El Capitan's Freerider route, an incredibly dangerous feat considered unprecedented in the climbing world.
• Free Solo is one of the highest grossing documentaries in US history.
• The directors decided against showing any graphic injuries or fatalities, focusing instead on the psychological aspects of free soloing.

Awards

Free Solo was widely celebrated for its cinematography, storytelling, and the heart-pounding depiction of Honnold's climb. The film won numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019. It also won the BAFTA award for Best Documentary and seven Emmy awards.

Quotes

• "I think when I'm free soloing that's when I feel the most alive and the most everything. How can you feel terrified when you're perfectly safe?" - Alex Honnold
• "You face your fears because your goal demands it. That is the warrior spirit." - Alex Honnold

Music, Soundtrack

• The score for Free Solo was composed by Marco Beltrami. The music adds greatly to the tense and emotional atmosphere of the film.
• Notable tracks include “Main Title”, “Freerider”, and “The Boulder Problem”.