On October 5, 1999, mountaineering star Alex Lowe disappeared with cameraman David Bridges in an avalanche on Shishapangma (8027 m, Tibet). Alex’s best friend and fellow climber, Conrad Anker, miraculously survived. After the tragedy, Anker and Jennifer, Alex’s widow, fall in love and get married. Anker raises Alex’s three sons. Torn, the film, is an intimate look at the Lowe-Anker family. It is a story about accepting risk and loss, about love and family. Or how to make peace with death. Ulysse Lefebvre met Conrad Anker a few days ago in Norway, during the Arctic Ice Festival: the opportunity to interview him in detail about mountaineering and the life that goes with it.
Alpine Mag : what about the original title “Torn” ?
Conrad Anker : Torn was Max’ (Alex’s eldest son, the movie director, Ed.) choice. For us, we’re torn between being in the mountains and fulfilling