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The trailer of the documentary “Zero to 8848”, which captures a fascinating, adventurous, and historical journey from Kachankawal—the lowest point in Nepal located in Jhapa—to the summit of Mount Everest, has been released. The trailer was launched on Monday at One Cinemas, New Baneshwar.
The documentary is co-directed by Niranjan Pandey and Balram Budhathoki, with the concept envisioned by journalist Prem Baniya. It showcases the stories, determination, and challenges faced by those trekking to Everest. Journalist Baniya was the first traveler to initiate the journey. Also featured are climber Tendi Sherpa, who has summited Everest 18 times; world cyclist Pushkar Shah; mountaineer and writer Conrad Anker; Ang Pasang Sherpa, and others.
The journey begins in Kachankawal and passes through Kanyam and Shree Antu in Ilam, Namje and Hile Bazaar in Dhankuta, the Mundhum Trail in Bhojpur, Halesi in Khotang, Okhaldhunga, and continues through Paatle and Salleri in Solukhumbu, then Bupsa, Thamdanda, Surke, Phakding, Monjo, Namche Bazaar, Khumjung, Tengboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, Gorakshep, Kalapatthar, and finally Everest Base Camp. From there, it progresses through Camp 1, 2, 3, 4 (South Col), Hillary Step, and reaches the summit.
“This is not just a documentary, it’s our pledge to represent our nation,” said journalist Prem Baniya. “Kachankawal, situated just 58 meters above sea level, can be excavated to sea level, and a village can be established there. From that village, one could begin a trek to Everest. That’s the concept we have introduced. For Nepal, this is a proud historical moment; for the world, it marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter.”
“Human life also begins from zero—then gradually progresses through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. This journey symbolizes that evolution,” he added. He mentioned it took about 90 days to complete the nearly 510-kilometer trek.
Director Niranjan Pandey said the inspiration for the film stemmed from a deep desire to contribute to Nepal. “We’ve worked in creative industries for a long time and now live in the U.S. We wanted to collaborate and do something for our homeland. That’s how this vision was born. With support from people like Tendi Sherpa and Pushkar Shah, we are now planning to showcase the film across all U.S. states, then in Europe, Australia, and Asia, followed by a theatrical release in Nepal. We envision this as a tool to introduce our country to the world.”
He emphasized that the destination could also be important for climate change research, and even developed as a hub for geological tourism. The documentary’s cinematography and editing were handled by co-directors Pandey and Budhathoki.
Shree Wagle is the executive producer. Umang Shahi served as the assistant cinematographer, and the production team includes Kapilsharan Wagle, Rajendra Pandey, Laxman Parajuli, and Jayanarayan Shah. Scenes from the Everest summit were filmed by Sujan Gurung and Doji Sherpa, who both reached the peak for this purpose.
