Eddie Birch

Faszination bergfilm - Himmelhoch und abgrundtief is a documentary about alpinism that takes place in Matterhorn and Eiger. It was directed by Hans-Jürgen Panitz in 2008 and produced by Movieman Productions. It features Philipp Stölzl, Gerhard Baur, Matthias Fanck, Kurt Diemberger, Jean Afanassieff, Peter Latzko and others.

The risky expeditions and events filmed by Leo Dickinson are challenging and death defying in themselves, but filming these events can prove to be just as challenging and dangerous. This documentary answers the often asked question, 'how did they get those shots?' providing a foreshortening of the techniques used and the dangers run by Dickinson while he filmed his adventures and explorations. Among others, the film features Eric Jones' solo ascent to the Eiger, the ascent of the Matterhorn north face in winter by Eric Jones, Brian Molyneux and Eddie Birch, and the first ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen, by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler in 1978.

The first filmed winter ascent of the Matterhorn North Face. To set the scene, the tragic history of Edward Whymper's first ascent is expertly re-enacted. The modern expedition, a team of three Britihs climbers, is also plagued by epics: Eric Jones is hit by an avalanche and only manages to stop perilously near the edge of a 1000 ft drop. Then the worst storm ever recorded in Zermatt strikes the Matterhorn. With time and weather against them, the team is forced to climb in the dark while thunderstorms rumble around them. This adventure captures the skill and courage of the climbers, their agony and tension, and the beauty of the assault on this spectacular mountain.