Premiere for film of Mallory's doomed Everest bid
Official 1924 footage of doomed climb by two Englishmen restored for release in cinemas
The official film record of one of mountaineering's most captivating mysteries - the 1924 Everest climb of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine - will have a world premiere in October.
The footage has been restored by the British Film Institute (BFI) as debate continues today over whether the two climbers actually made it to the summit 89 years ago and 60 years after Everest was officially first conquered.
The Epic of Everest was made by the explorer Captain John Noel, who accompanied Mallory and Irvine on what was the third attempt on the mountain.
Robin Baker, head curator at the BFI National Archive, described the film as one of its greatest treasures and said: "It represents a key moment in the history of mountaineering and remains an enduring monument to Mallory and Irvine."
The film tells the story of the doomed expedition and also provides some of the earliest filmed footage of life in Tibet.
Noel raised the bulk of the expedition's finance and organised the transport and use of primitive film equipment.
"Noel was a remarkable man,"said Jan Faull, the BFI's archive production curator. "He had an eye for the immensity of the project, but he was also in awe of the mountain. He saw it as magical, and I think that comes across in the film."