March 14, 2014

Costa Mesa, Ca.

Dear Family & Friends:

I am pleased to announce that the documentary film “Eight Summits: The Bill Burke Story” is finished and ready for distribution. The film was produced by award-winning documentary filmmaker, Allan Smith, through his production company DreamQuest Productions.

Eight Summits features my climb of the highest mountain on every continent after reaching age 60. Dramatic photos and videos of these mountains are included. The centerpiece of the movie is my attempt to complete an unprecedented double summit of Mt. Everest from both the South side in Nepal and the North side in Tibet. The viewer is taken on a video tour of both sides of this magnificent mountain.

The 54-minute film is unique among Everest movies because it covers the wide range of people and organizations involved in a successful climb of the highest mountain on planet earth, including expedition companies, guides, Sherpas, porters, medical personnel, meteorologists, and suppliers of the oxygen systems used on the mountain. Famed climbers and the keeper of the Himalaya Database are interviewed. The film also features cultural and religious aspects of climbing in Asia, including the sacred “Puja” prayer ceremony conducted by Buddhist priests at Base Camp.

Eight Summits also chronicles my life journey with my disabled grandson, Ollie, who suffers from Angelman Syndrome, a severe neurological disorder. Ollie is my inspiration and my training partner.

Here is the film trailer.

If you like the film, I hope you will recommend it to others.

When I return from Mt. Everest in June, we will be screening the film at a theatre in Orange County and you will be invited.

Bill