Writer’s Statement:

Often in my life, I’m chasing a feeling to fill an emptiness I have inside. And nothing fulfills me more than standing at the summit of a mountain. The story of The Climb is inspired by the healing that comes from being outdoors, and my admiration of - and longing for - the idea of a loving family, particularly that of my partner, David. This film is for anyone who strives to reach the peak in all of life’s challenges; it is a film for women, fathers & daughters, nature enthusiasts, connoisseurs of a good dad joke, and anyone plagued by loneliness who craves connection. The idea for The Climb came to me as I watched my partner endure one of the greatest hardships of his life. I brought the idea to Raul Rosco Guerrero, who helped put this idea to paper. After years of additional edits by myself and Justin Hogan, we finally reached the top—the finished script. When you trek to the mountaintop, you carry so much—a 30lb pack, your being, all your pain and all your doubts; but when you look out over that vista, it becomes clear that we are capable of so much, no matter what we come from.

Director’s Statement:

Grief is one of the few experiences that unites every human being. It cuts across culture, age, and circumstance, reminding us of both the depth of our love and the fragility of our lives. When my wife, Wendy, passed, my life changed and so did the way I saw the world. By exploring grief through the lens of a father and daughter in Shawnee’s beautiful script, I wanted to hold onto the truth that loss doesn’t just break us, it asks us to remake ourselves. Storytelling doesn’t erase pain, but it reshapes it, creating space for connection, growth, and hope. For many, mourning will last a lifetime. Art may not end that grief, but it can build a path to live alongside it, and sometimes, even to grow from it.