Northwest premiere next weekend for ‘Return to Mount Kennedy,’ documentary with West Seattle ties

A new documentary that has its Northwest premiere next weekend has multiple West Seattle ties. You’ll recognize the local names involved with “Return to Mount Kennedy.” Here’s the announcement:

The locally produced documentary chronicles the expedition of the sons of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and mountaineering icon Jim Whittaker, and features original music by Eddie Vedder.

Director Eric Becker and other special guests will attend the hometown screening.

In 1965, Robert Kennedy was the first man to summit Mount Kennedy in the Yukon Territory, named in honor of his late brother. Leading that expedition was Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Everest and original fulltime employee of REI.

50 years later, Jim’s sons Bob and Leif, along with Christopher Kennedy, decide to climb the mountain again in honor of their fathers’ joint accomplishment and unique friendship. Seattle-based filmmaker Eric Becker’s touching documentary combines archival footage —including several Kennedy home movies — with interviews from Jim himself and those who know them best as we follow three sons and the journey literally in their fathers’ footsteps.

The documentary features original music by Eddie Vedder, never-before-seen archival footage, and includes interviews with Sub Pop records co-founder Bruce Pavitt, mountain guide Dave Hahn, and members of the original climbing team.

The film was scheduled to have its world premiere last night as the opening night film of the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival. Its scheduled local screenings are Saturday, June 2 at 3:30 pm at Kirkland Performance Center (tickets here), and two at SIFF Uptown on Queen Anne – Saturday, June 9 at 6:30 pm, and Sunday, June 10, at 3 pm (tickets here).

2 Replies to "Northwest premiere next weekend for 'Return to Mount Kennedy,' documentary with West Seattle ties"

  • workdowntown May 27, 2018 (9:01 am)

    Movie looks amazing!  I was 16 when Bobby Kennedy was killed; it was devastating.   

  • Al May 27, 2018 (9:48 am)

    Very nice. 

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