When Slovak scientist and mother Lucia Janičová discovers that no Slovak woman has ever climbed Mount Everest, she sees it as a powerful symbol of gender inequality. Determined to break that barrier, she sets out for the summit of the world, risking everything while trying to balance her love for her young daughter with the dangers of the mountain. As the journey unfolds, the film gradually reveals Lucia’s past marked by abuse, rape, and a traumatic childhood, showing how she transforms pain into strength.

Threaded throughout the story as a spiritual counterpoint is the voice of Mijolangsangma, the Tibetan mother goddess of Everest, guiding Lucia from suffering toward transcendence.

The film combines the harsh reality of high-altitude climbing with intimate, authentic footage from the ascent itself, capturing both the grandeur of the mountain and the fragility of the human spirit. Blending archival materials with poetic animation, it becomes a meditation on resilience, motherhood, and the will to overcome obstacles – the story of a woman climbing not only the highest peak on Earth, but also her own inner summit, the one each of us carries within.

The film will have its world premiere at Art Film Fest, attended in person by Lucia Janičová, her daughter Adelka, and director Paul Diffley.

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