KATHMANDU, JULY 15
14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible, a documentary that chronicles the journey of Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja as he attempts to summit all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in seven months, has been nominated for Emmy Awards.
It has been nominated for 'Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)' in this year's nominations that were announced on July 12.
Award winning composer Nainita Desai has composed the music for the documentary.
The Netflix documentary that showcases how Purja, popular as Nimsdai, traverses Mt Everest, K2, and other iconic peaks through extreme weather, life-or-death decisions along with a team of Sherpas, features more than 100 hours of footage shot by Nimsdai and his team.
Sharing the news on his Facebook page, Purja wrote: "14 Peaks is nominated for an Emmy Award! It has been nominated for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special. Huge congratulations and thanks to the very talented @nainita_desai who brought the world of #14Peaks to life with her soundtrack. Thank you everyone for shouting about your love for this film on social media – it shows people power works! This was always your film – this was always about inspiring and motivating everyone and showing the power of possible. The message is that no matter where you come from or where you start, you can dream big and show the world that nothing is impossible. This is about uplifting the Sherpas and the Big Mountain communities. Thank you for your support of me and the #14Peaks team – I feel very grateful."
"Thrilled" to be nominated for an Emmy, the British composer of film, television and video game music wrote on her Instagram: "It was an honour to score @nimsdai 's incredible journey and to shine a spotlight on the Nepalese Sherpas who's valiant work supporting climbers hasn't truly been acknowledged until now."
"I am elated, thrilled and grateful to the TV Academy for nominating the score for 14 Peaks," awardwinning composer Desai told THT. "You've made a gal from South London very proud! I was actually at the supermarket when I heard the news. It's a thrill to be recognised alongside such an esteemed group of composers in this category," she added.
Desai said that she was indebted to her core music team including Javier Blanco-Lago, Fiona Cruickshank Abbey Road Studios, Rob Ames, the London Contemporary Orchestra , and director Torquil Jones and Noah Media for giving her such an amazing opportunity to work on their joyful collaboration. "It was an honour to score Purja's incredible journey and to shine a spotlight on the Nepalese Sherpas," she shared.
"'14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible' explores Nepal's deep connection to high-altitude mountaineering through the eyes of Nirmal "Nimsdai" Purja, a fearless, fun-loving Nepali climber on a quest he dubs "Project Possible"-to summit all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter mountains in just seven months, breaking the previous record of seven years. With a team of skilled Sherpas, he traverses Mount Everest, K2, and other iconic peaks through extreme weather, life-or-death decisions, and the emotional weight of his mother's illness back home. '14 Peaks' is a thrilling, action-packed story about courage, perseverance, and pushing the limits of human endurance."
According to Desai, there is a great deal of tension in the story told with propulsion and energy, so she explored creating drama and tension using strong rhythms with the orchestra as well as percussion that is insistent and drives the story and Nim's journey forward relentlessly.
"When watching the film, I want the audience to experience what I experienced when watching the film as I experienced it; to find out what makes Nims tick, to put them right there in the action, to be terrified at times, inspired and most of all, to have a deep felt respect for Nims and his team's astonishing accomplishments.," Desai shared.
The Sherpas have never truly been acknowledged for their contribution to mountaineering so it was important to highlight that representation by using touches of Nepalese plucked strings to put you into the locale and shine a spotlight on their heritage. "I used the orchestra in a contemporary modern way, but the way the strings are played have a raspy, wild rawness to them to get across the brutal danger of the environment and landscape," she said.
The other documentaries nominated in the same category include Lucy And Desi , Return To Space, They Call Me Magic, and The Tinder Swindler.
