Broad Peak 2022
Directed by
Leszek Dawid
Made by
East Studio
Broad Peak Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Broad Peak (2022). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
In March 1988, a Polish climbing team in the Karakoram faces a bold, perilous decision. Two climbers, Maciej Berbeka, Ireneusz Czop Berbeka, and Aleksander Lwow, Piotr Głowacki Lwow, plan to attempt the first winter ascent and the first alpine-style ascent of Broad Peak, a neighboring giant to K2, despite stern protests from their leader, Andrzej Zawada Tomasz Sapryk Zawada. They depart from their Baltoro base camp as a ruthless blizzard closes in, and Zawada makes a cautious call: retreat if the storm doesn’t ease. The storm rages on, and when the next day arrives, Lwow urges turning back as weather worsens, but Berbeka’s resolve hardens. He sets off alone, pressing upward into the death zone, where the air is dangerously thin and every step weighs heavily on the body. The team radios him, but his message comes back as a solitary, breathless confirmation that he has reached the summit, and then silence—followed by a grueling descent that tests every fiber of his endurance. He finally returns to base camp and is airlifted for medical care. In Poland, his name becomes a symbol of courage and national pride, but the glow of acclaim is tempered by traumatic flashbacks that haunt him long after the ascent.
Three months later, Berbeka’s world is shaken when he reads an article by Lwow. The piece reveals a crucial truth: Lwow had not actually stood atop Broad Peak—the summit remained elusive, and he had reached only the Rocky Summit, a slim margin from the true peak. Enraged and feeling betrayed, Berbeka confronts Zawada, who admits that the entire team had wanted his safe return and knew that if Berbeka had known the truth, he might have continued the ascent. The revelation explodes across the Polish mountaineering scene, and Berbeka withdraws from the climbing community, carrying the weight of what he perceives as a compromised achievement and the personal cost of the expedition.
Jump forward 24 years to June 2012, when Krzysztof Wielicki [Łukasz Simlat] Wielicki tracks Berbeka down with a new proposition: return to Broad Peak and finally conquer the mountain, granting Berbeka a long-sought vindication. Initially reluctant, Berbeka agrees after Wielicki emphasizes that he deserves to complete the journey he began so many years earlier. The team assembled for this challenge includes Berbeka, Adam Bielecki Bielecki, Tomasz Kowalski Kowalski, and Artur Małek Małek, alongside Wielicki himself. They travel to the Karakoram with a sense of urgency and a careful plan to push the ascent in winter conditions. As the days shorten and the clock runs against them, Wielicki warns that they are behind schedule and that daylight will not permit a long finish. Nevertheless, the team presses on, drawn by a mix of ambition, resolve, and the stubborn belief that history can be rewritten on the mountain.
Against the odds, on 5 March 2013, Berbeka and his three companions reach the summit of Broad Peak, completing the world’s first winter ascent of the mountain. Their climb is a testament to endurance, teamwork, and the iron will to conquer a peak that had resisted winter attempts for decades. Yet the triumph is tempered by the stark reality of their descent: before the credits roll, the film reveals that Berbeka and Kowalski did not survive the descent, their bodies succumbing to the brutal, unforgiving nature of the Karakoram. The message lingers—glory earned at such a cost carries a weight that only those who risk everything can truly understand.
Broad Peak Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Broad Peak (2022) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Departure from Baltoro base camp
In March 1988, the Polish climbing team leaves their Baltoro Glacier base camp to begin the ascent of Broad Peak. Zawada, their leader, voices concerns and urges caution given the dangerous winter conditions. Berbeka and Lwow push forward with the plan for a winter alpine-style ascent.
Blizzard hits and retreat pressure
A blizzard strikes, tempering the ascent and prompting Zawada to urge the climbers to turn back if the storm doesn’t ease. The team pauses at high camp as the weather worsens, weighing the risks of pushing higher. The tension between ambition and safety defines the early phase of the expedition.
Summit push resumes amid weather concerns
The next day, the group resumes the push toward the summit while Lwow urges caution and a retreat in the face of incoming bad weather. Berbeka remains determined to press on, defying his partner’s reservations. The ascent continues under tightening weather conditions.
Berbeka reaches the summit and radios back
Despite the odds, Berbeka pushes into the death zone and reaches the Broad Peak summit. The team back at base hears only intermittent radio contact until he confirms the ascent. He describes the triumphant moment before communication cuts off amid the harsh winds and fatigue.
Difficult descent and airlift
Berbeka descends in difficult conditions and is airlifted back to base camp for medical care. He returns to Poland amid accolades and mainstream fame, but the climb also leaves him with traumatic flashbacks that linger for years.
Berbeka learns of Lwow’s true summit claim
Three months after the Broad Peak ascent, Berbeka reads an article by Lwow that claims he did not reach the Broad Peak summit, only a Rocky Summit 17 meters from the top. The revelation shocks him and throws the entire ascent into question. The incident triggers a shift in how he views the leadership and his own legacy.
Confrontation with Zawada over the truth
Berbeka confronts Zawada about the article, and Zawada reveals that the team wanted his safe return and that Berbeka might have continued if he’d known the truth. The exchange exposes a rift over the decisions made during the expedition. Berbeka questions the leadership’s handling of the summit claim.
News breaks in Poland; Berbeka withdraws
The controversy breaks in Poland, casting a shadow over the ascent. Berbeka withdraws from the mountaineering community, retreating from his past stardom and public attention. The incident lingers as a defining moment in his career.
Wielicki seeks out Berbeka for Broad Peak
In June 2012, Krzysztof Wielicki locates Berbeka and invites him to join an expedition to Broad Peak, hoping his experience can help achieve the winter ascent. At first, Berbeka hesitates, wary of past betrayals and the mountain’s dangers. Wielicki insists that Berbeka deserves to finally conquer Broad Peak.
Berbeka reluctantly agrees to join
Berbeka initially declines the invitation, but Wielicki’s persistence eventually convinces him to return to mountaineering for one final attempt. The rekindled collaboration marks a new chapter for both climbers. The decision sets the stage for the ambitious expedition.
Five-climber team heads to the Karakoram
The team—Wielicki, Berbeka, Adam Bielecki, Tomasz Kowalski, and Artur Małek—travels to the Karakoram to begin the Broad Peak winter ascent. The lineup brings together seasoned climbers with intense experience in extreme cold conditions. They prepare for a historic ascent under tight schedules.
Rocky Summit reached but daylight limits climb
During the 2012 summit push, Wielicki notes the team is running behind schedule and they reach the Rocky Summit, 17 meters from the true summit. There isn’t enough daylight to complete the climb, so they retreat to safety. The decision underscores the mountain’s unforgiving demands.
Final ascent and first winter summit (5 March 2013)
On 5 March 2013, Berbeka and the other three climbers press on despite daylight concerns and reach the true Broad Peak summit, achieving the first winter ascent. The team marks a historic triumph against harsh winter conditions. The moment culminates years of controversy, risk, and perseverance.
Deaths on descent revealed
Before the credits roll, it is revealed that Berbeka and Kowalski died on their descent from Broad Peak. The true cost of the expedition becomes painfully clear. The film honors their memory and the complexities of mountaineering glory.
Broad Peak Characters
Explore all characters from Broad Peak (2022). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Adam Bielecki (Dawid Ogrodnik)
Adam Bielecki is a key member of the 2013 Broad Peak expedition alongside Wielicki, Berbeka, Kowalski, and Małek. He brings experience and steadiness to the team, helping manage the pace under a tight daylight window. His role embodies the balance between ambition and practicality that defines modern high-altitude climbing.
Maciej Berbeka (Ireneusz Czop)
Maciej Berbeka is the relentless climber who leads the 1988 Broad Peak effort and becomes a symbol of fearless ascent. His unwavering drive pushes him to the summit even when others hesitate, and his conflict with Lwow centers on the meaning of achievement. Upon later reflections, he grapples with fame and trauma from the climb and remains a defining figure in Polish mountaineering.
Aleksander Lwow (Piotr Głowacki)
Aleksander Lwow is the cautious climber who urges turning back in the 1988 ascent, shaping the debate about safety versus glory. His misreport about reaching the summit becomes a focal point of Berbeka's later anger and public scrutiny. His actions illustrate how individual choices can alter collective memory of an ascent.
Andrzej Zawada (Tomasz Sapryk)
Andrzej Zawada is the expedition leader who tries to balance ambition with safety; he tries to keep the team together and safe in dangerous conditions. He is confronted with the consequences of decisions and the tension between pushing forward and turning back. His role highlights the burden of leadership in high-stakes mountaineering.
Krzysztof Wielicki (Łukasz Simlat)
Krzysztof Wielicki is the veteran climber who strategizes the 2012-2013 Broad Peak ascent and ultimately pushes to complete the first winter ascent. He tracks Berbeka, weighs daylight constraints, and makes pragmatic calls about the schedule. His experience anchors the modern feat while testing the limits of the team.
Tomasz Kowalski (Maciej Raniszewski)
Tomasz Kowalski is part of the 2013 team; he shares the ascent with Berbeka and Wielicki. He remains a trusted teammate until the descent, where tragedy strikes alongside Berbeka. His presence embodies camaraderie and the perils of alpine ambition.
Artur Małek (Maciej Kulig)
Artur Małek is the support climber in the 2013 team, contributing to the collective effort and the dynamics of trust under pressure. He stands with the others through the challenging ascent, illustrating the collaborative nature of modern high-altitude expeditions.
Broad Peak Settings
Learn where and when Broad Peak (2022) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
1988; 2012–2013
Two distinct eras anchor the story: the 1988 winter attempt that ends in triumph and controversy, and the 2012–2013 expedition that achieves Broad Peak's first winter ascent. The narrative juxtaposes past glory with modern experience, under the glare of public memory and media coverage. The timeline highlights how ambition, risk, and memory drive the lives of high-altitude climbers.
Location
Karakoram, Baltoro Glacier, Broad Peak, Rocky Summit
Set in the Karakoram range along the Baltoro Glacier, the film centers on the ascent of Broad Peak and the earlier, infamous attempt on a neighboring eight-thousander. The landscape is infamous for brutal weather, sheer faces and extreme altitudes that test every decision. Base camps, icefalls, and high camps serve as the tense backdrop for the climbers' quest for the summit.
Broad Peak Themes
Discover the main themes in Broad Peak (2022). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Perseverance
Across both expeditions, the climbers push beyond human limits, enduring storms, low visibility, and the death zone. Berbeka's stubborn resolve and the team's shared determination propel them toward the summit despite dangers. The theme shows how perseverance can yield historic achievement while exacting a heavy personal toll.
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Leadership
Leadership under pressure is examined through Zawada's decisions in 1988 and Wielicki's orchestration in 2013. The leaders weigh safety against ambition, choosing when to push forward and when to turn back. The film portrays how good leadership involves managing risk, trust, and team dynamics in life-and-death moments.
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Legacy
Legacy haunts the climbers as fame and memory collide with reality. Berbeka's feats earn him renown in Poland but also haunt him with trauma from the climb. The 24-year gap and the final ascent reveal how legacies can motivate, complicate lives, and even end in tragedy.
Broad Peak Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Broad Peak (2022). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the stark, wind‑blown landscape of the Karakoram, winter casts the peaks in a relentless white veil, turning every climb into a dialogue between flesh and frozen stone. The mountain’s austere beauty is matched only by its unforgiving conditions, creating a world where triumph is measured against the quiet menace of altitude and weather. Within this frozen realm, a generation of Polish climbers carries the weight of national expectation, their stories etched into the very ice they seek to conquer.
Maciej Berbeka returns to the mountain years after his first ascent, haunted by a lingering sense that his summit was unfinished. The memory of a climb that earned him both reverence and inner conflict fuels a restless drive that refuses to settle. He is a man shaped by the high‑altitude silence, where every breath is a reminder of what was gained and what remains out of reach. His quiet determination becomes the emotional core of a narrative that balances personal legacy with the sheer, elemental pull of the peak.
Guidance and caution arrive from Andrzej Zawada, a seasoned leader whose experience tempers ambition with pragmatic restraint. Decades later, Krzysztof Wielicki re‑enters the story, extending an invitation that reignites Berbeka’s yearning to complete the journey. Alongside a small, tightly knit team—each climber bearing his own blend of expertise and resolve—their collective purpose is framed by the mountain’s indifferent majesty, where camaraderie is forged in shared risk and whispered resolve.
The film settles into a tone that is both reverential and tense, painting the ascent as a meditation on perseverance, pride, and the quiet longing to finish what once began. As the climbers prepare to face the indifferent winter sky, the audience is drawn into a world where every step is a negotiation with nature, and the promise of closure hangs as delicately as the snow‑capped ridges themselves.
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