THE ASCENT

Good Complex, The Tower Way & In association with TIMES Studios.

Photo courtesy of Edward John Drake (far right), to the left- Francis Cronin, Mandy Horvath, & Laffrey Witbrod (far left), June 16, 2021 at the summit of Kilimanjaro- Uruhu Peak.

The Ascent is a highly acclaimed 2026 documentary that chronicles the inspiring and harrowing true story of Mandy Horvath, who sets out to crawl to the summit of Kilimanjaro on her hands. Premiering at the SXSW Film Festival, the film took home the prestigious Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.

The film follows Horvath's incredible six-day, 50-mile journey as she attempts to become the first female bilateral amputee to crawl to the 19,341 foot summit of Africa's highest peak without the use of prosthetic equipment. Intercut ith the mountain climb is a parallel narrative investigating the tragic night in 2014 when Horvath lost her legs. Beyond the adventure and mystery, the documentary is fundamentally about recovering from trauma, processing grief, and learning how to trust other people again.

The film was directed by Francis Cronin, Edward John Drake, & Scott Veltri.

Laffrey Witbrod on Cinemaphotography.