The Castaways Of Mont Blanc (2002)
This documentary is a reconstruction, based on archive footage, testimonies, and filmed reconstructions, of the Vincendon / Henry tragedy. December 1956: Jean Vincendon and François Henry, two young mountaineers, aspire to join the High Mountain Group. Lacking experience, they set out to climb Mont Blanc via the Brenva spur in the middle of winter. The weather conditions deteriorated, and they decided to give up before meeting Walter Bonatti and Sylvano Gheser. They then decided to continue the climb and set off in two different roped parties. Bonatti decided to take refuge at the Vallot refuge higher up, rather than descend. The two young mountaineers, overcome by the poor weather conditions and fatigue, remained stuck for several days at 4,000 meters. What followed was a completely disorganized rescue operation that became, for more than ten days, a spectacle for all of France and a national tragedy.
Director: Denis Ducroz
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Jean Vincendon as Self (archive footage) |
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François Henry as Self (archive footage) |
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Claude Dufourmantelle as Self |
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Lionel Terray as Self (archive footage) |
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Walter Bonatti as Self (archive footage) |
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Pierre Couttet as Self |
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Gilbert Chappaz as Self |
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Jacques Petetin as Self |
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Jean Brissaud as Self |
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Honoré Bonnet as Self |
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Jean Minster as Self |
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Louis Piraly as Self (archive footage) |
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Olivier Pariset as Narrator |
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Jean-Yves Berteloot as Narrator |
| Directing | Denis Ducroz | Director |
| Writing | Denis Ducroz | Writer |
| Crew | Denis Ducroz | Cinematography |
