National Geographic host & director and adventure YouTuber Eva zu Beck joins Grace T.S.P’s documentary ‘The Bride of Mont Blanc’ as Executive Producer
By Natalia Albin Legorreta
‘The Bride of Mont Blanc’ follows adventurer Elise Wortley as she climbs Mont Blanc in a bid to recreate the first female ascent of the mountain by Henriette D'Angeville, with only the gear and clothing that was available to her then in 1838. Grace T.S.P, an award-winning documentary director, is helming the project as both director and cinematographer. The Bride of Mont Blanc will follow her signature style of blending fiction with the raw emotion of documentary.
The ascent of Mont Blanc is a part of Wortley’s project Woman with Altitude which highlights the stories of women adventurers who have been written out of history. She has travelled across the globe, recreating some incredible journeys in an attempt to fully understand what each woman had gone through.
"I've been following Elise's Woman with Altitude project for years now, and as a fellow female adventurer, I'm so proud to support The Bride of Mont Blanc as an Executive Producer," says zu Beck. "I resonate so deeply with Elise and Henriette's mission, because as women in the outdoor space, we've all had to shatter the glass ceilings that tower above us. And to think that Henriette did this in 1838, while hearing booing coming from the public in Chamonix, is nothing short of mind-blowing. We need to honour the courage and resilience of the women who came before us. The Bride of Mont Blanc is a step in that direction.”
"Eva has been a huge inspiration of mine for a long time now," says T.S.P. "She embodies both the adventurous spirit that I hope to carry myself through life as well as the spirit of adventure I long to bring to the screen. I couldn't imagine a better person to come on board as Executive Producer and help get this film out there to the audience that will benefit and appreciate it the most! I am so grateful for Eva's enthusiasm and support for this story. She is a fountain of both knowledge and inspiration and it is an absolute dream to have her as a key part of The Bride of Mont Blanc team.”
The film was produced by Amy Warren, a filmmaker who has orchestrated productions from the Scottish Highlands to the arctic circle. Amy has also worked as a Mountain Leader for some years - “I feel a personal connection to one of the core themes explored in The Bride of Mont Blanc - a huge lack of female representation," she says."To begin with, I was forever crying out to be surrounded by more female guides, and was all too often, the only women on the hillside. My hope is that this film can inspire a new generation of girls to go outside, whatever that may look like”
The Bride of Mont Blanc will have its premiere at Kendal Mountain Festival in November.
