Foreign Outdoor Movie Idea: North Face (Nordwand)

We recently watched The North Face (Nordwand in German), a German film based on the true story of the 1936 attempt to summit the Eiger north face in the Swiss Alps, and thought we’d pass it along as a great pick for your next backyard movie. The film probably isn’t the best choice if you have small children, but it makes a great date-night outdoor movie or an opportunity to invite over friends who love foreign or independent films. North Face would look gorgeous on an Open Air Cinema 16’ Pro system with an HD audio-visual package.

North Face follows Andreas Hinterstoisser (Florian Lukas) and Toni Kurz (Benno Furmann), two Bavarian climbers who are unsympathetic to the Nazi party and far more interested in mountaineering than in serving its interests. Two other Bavarian climbers, Karl Mehringer and Max Sedlmeyer, had attempted to climb the Eiger north face — the last unconquered challenge of the Alps — but died in the attempt. Billed as an opportunity for national heroism, word quickly spread of Germany’s desire to ascend the north face before any other nation.

However, Kurz and Hinterstoisser are wary of attempting the climb, knowing the serious risks it poses. Yet when army life becomes even less fulfilling, they decide to drop out and attempt the Eiger north face, also known as the “death wall.” The film follows the duo as they travel to Switzerland by bike and make their attempt on the summit. They are not without competition, however, as their Austrian counterparts Willy Angerer and Edi Rainer hope to declare victory for their homeland. But when events turn the climb into a life-or-death situation, the four work together to survive.

North Face is a well-made film that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The actors deliver first-rate performances and offer a glimpse into a time of great unrest in Europe. At first we were uneasy about the film and weren’t sure it would transcend the many movies made about the era — but North Face exceeded all our expectations, and we give it a five-star rating as a potential outdoor movie!