Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe and director Jennifer Peedom will present the Apple Original Film at its European premiere on September 24
Zurich, August 25, 2026 — TENZING, a historical drama based on the story of the first successful ascent of Mount Everest, will open the 22nd Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) on September 24 at the Zurich Convention Center.
The Apple Original Film will have its European premiere in the presence of stars Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe, director Jennifer Peedom, and Swiss Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider. More than 1,000 guests from the worlds of business, culture, politics and society are expected to attend the festival’s opening night.
TENZING Set to Open Zurich Film Festival
The film will headline the opening of the 22nd edition of ZFF on September 24, with Hiddleston, Dafoe and Peedom expected to appear in person on the Green Carpet and present the film together.
“This year’s ZFF motto is ‘dream big.’ Our breathtaking opening film TENZING fits perfectly, because it shows how you can grow beyond yourself when you have a big dream,” said Zurich Film Festival CEO Christian Jungen.
“We are proud that not one but two Hollywood stars are coming to Zurich to present TENZING together with acclaimed director Jennifer Peedom. The film offers powerful emotion and mountain scenery of sublime beauty. But it also carries an important message for our time: The first ascent of Mount Everest only succeeded because the climbers respected the local Sherpa people and the laws of nature.”
Swiss Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider and Zurich Mayor Raphael Golta** are among the evening’s guests of honour. The Opening Night is presented by Gisada.
Peedom said the film explores the determination and personal sacrifices behind Tenzing Norgay’s historic achievement.
“At its heart, TENZING is about a man who dared to imagine a life beyond the limits the world had placed on him, and the courage, sacrifice and belief it took to reach the highest point on earth,” she said. “The spirit of ‘dream big’ feels incredibly fitting, and I’m thrilled that TENZING will open the Zurich Film Festival and be shared with audiences there.”
The Story Behind TENZING
Based on a true story, TENZING follows Tenzing Norgay (Genden Phuntsok), a gifted mountaineer from the Himalayas who, alongside New Zealand alpinist Edmund Hillary (Tom Hiddleston), became the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, at 8,849 metres, in 1953.
Supported by his wife Dawa (Thinley Lhamo), Tenzing forms an alliance with expedition secretary Jill Henderson (Caitríona Balfe). Together, they work to convince Colonel John Hunt (Willem Dafoe) that Tenzing should be recognised as a full member of the British expedition rather than simply serving the team.
The film also explores the different perspectives surrounding Everest. While Western climbers view the mountain as a peak to be conquered, Tenzing regards Chomolungma as a sacred mother goddess. The expedition consequently unfolds against tensions involving background, class and competing ambitions, alongside the physical dangers of the mountain.
Directed by Jennifer Peedom, TENZING focuses on the people and relationships behind one of mountaineering’s most significant achievements.
Following its European premiere at the Zurich Film Festival, TENZING will premiere in select cinemas on October 9 and will stream on Apple TV on Friday, October 16, 2026.
Tom Hiddleston as Edmund Hillary
Tom Hiddleston, who portrays Edmund Hillary, is known for work across film, television and theatre. He gained international recognition through roles including Captain James Nicholls in Steven Spielberg’s WAR HORSE (2011) and Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
His other film credits include Woody Allen’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, I SAW THE LIGHT, in which he portrayed Hank Williams, and THE NIGHT MANAGER, where he played secret agent Jonathan Pine. His performance in THE NIGHT MANAGER earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor, as well as two Primetime Emmy nominations, including for lead actor and executive producer.
Hiddleston has also maintained a prominent stage career in London and New York, appearing in Shakespeare productions including Othello, Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing, as well as works by Anton Chekhov and Harold Pinter. His Broadway performance in Pinter’s Betrayal earned him a Tony Award nomination in 2020.
In TENZING, Hiddleston takes on the role of Edmund Hillary in the story of the historic Everest expedition.
Willem Dafoe Plays John Hunt
Willem Dafoe, who plays British expedition leader John Hunt, will also attend the Opening Night.
The American actor has built a career spanning mainstream productions and independent cinema, with credits including WILD AT HEART, THE ENGLISH PATIENT, AMERICAN PSYCHO, the SPIDER-MAN franchise, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, JOHN WICK, POOR THINGS and NOSFERATU.
Dafoe has received four Academy Award nominations for PLATOON (1986), SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE (2000), THE FLORIDA PROJECT (2017) and AT ETERNITY’S GATE (2018), in which he portrayed Vincent van Gogh. His performances in PLATOON, SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE and THE FLORIDA PROJECT also earned Golden Globe nominations, as did his role in POOR THINGS.
His collaborations with filmmakers including David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Yorgos Lanthimos and Robert Eggers have established him as a prominent figure in international arthouse cinema.
Jennifer Peedom Directs TENZING
Jennifer Peedom is a BAFTA-nominated Australian director and producer whose work includes both documentary and narrative filmmaking.
Peedom has spent more than two decades working in the Himalayas and on Mount Everest. Her connection with the region and the Sherpa community began through her early filmmaking work in high-altitude environments and has influenced several of her major projects.
Her directing credits include the feature documentaries SOLO, SHERPA, MOUNTAIN, RIVER and DEEPER.
SHERPA premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at the BFI London Film Festival and received a BAFTA nomination for Best Documentary. The film became one of Australia’s most successful theatrical documentaries. Peedom subsequently made MOUNTAIN in collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Her films have screened at major international festivals including Telluride, TIFF, SXSW, San Sebastián and Busan. Her work has also received awards and nominations from organisations including the Australian Directors’ Guild and the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts.
Peedom co-founded and runs Sydney-based production company Stranger Than Fiction Films. The company’s credits include DAVID STRATTON: A CINEMATIC LIFE, which screened at Cannes Classics, and HARLEY & KATYA, which won the International Emmy Award for Sports Documentary.
The company’s latest release, SILENCED, follows human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson and her campaign against the use of defamation laws to silence women in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement. The documentary premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
With TENZING, Peedom returns to the Himalayan setting that has played a significant role throughout her filmmaking career, bringing the story of Tenzing Norgay and the 1953 Everest expedition to the opening night of the 22nd Zurich Film Festival.