‘Free Solo’ panel highlights rock climbing milestone


After Tuesday’s screening, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (second from left), Jimmy Chin (third from left) and Alex Honnold (far right) spoke with students about the making of “Free Solo.” (Keala Rusher | Daily Trojan)

On Tuesday night, the School of Cinematic Arts hosted thrillseekers at a screening of “Free Solo,” a documentary following professional rock climber Alex Honnold as he became the first person to free solo El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Originally, the post-screening Q&A only included directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin but, in a surprise to the audience, Honnold also attended.

Free soloing is rock climbing without ropes or any device to catch a falling climber, meaning the stakes for each move are incredibly high. The film attempts to capture the risk analysis and training involved in Honnold’s record-breaking journey, a process involving months of preparation and training.

The film opens with an aerial shot of gray granite, then shifts to reveal Honnold in a bright red shirt standing on the edge of an enormous cliff overlooking a dense forest.

Beyond its compelling narrative, the film highlights many breathtaking views of the crew’s rock climbing expeditions, including Yosemite and Zion national parks, as well as Todra Gorge in Morocco.

The audience develops an intimate understanding of Honnold, and soon learns that he has a unique outlook on the work he does.

“Anyone could die on any given day, soloing just makes it feel more immediate,” Honnold said in the film.

Honnold makes it clear that he does not fear death so much as he fears not living up to his own expectations. Honnold’s friend and fellow professional climber Tommy Caldwell helped him prepare for the climb, and delivers an honest, if morbid, take on the sport in the film.

“Imagine any gold medal sport but if you don’t get the gold, you die,” Caldwell said in the film. “That’s free soloing.”

Honnold attributes his practical and sometimes detached demeanor as what makes him so successful at climbing, especially soloing — it’s his unique ability to separate each movement from its potentially dire consequence. During the Q&A, Vasarhelyi commented on Honnold’s first attempt to free solo El Capitan, where he ascended to 500 feet before deciding to turn around. Honnold then trained for six more months before successfully completing the climb.

“The turnaround in the fall actually gave us a lot of confidence; it was very clear that we made the right decision in trusting Alex’s judgment,” Vasarhelyi said. “It gave us a very special dress rehearsal where we understood [how to] manage emotions.”

By the day of the climb, the crew and Honnold had made considerable adjustments from the initial attempt. Everyone felt more fit and well prepared, and the whole team compromised to ensure Hannold was comfortable and alleviated the pressures of climbing on camera while still capturing the necessary shots to make the film one of the most critically acclaimed films to date.

“Free Solo” was released on Sept. 28 and is playing in most major theaters in the U.S.