The Ascent
Mandy Horvath, a bilateral amputee battling her past, embarks on a gripping journey to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in her quest to become the first legless woman to conquer it without prosthetics.
Directors Edward Drake and Scott Veltri, plus Subject Mandy Horvath, scheduled to attend.
Tickets
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Saturday, May 9, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Sunday, May 10, 2026
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is a true test of endurance due to its combination of altitude, temperature, and unpredictable weather. Enter Mandy Horvath, a bilateral amputee who lost her legs in a suspicious accident at the age of 21—a traumatic event that left her with unanswered questions and deep distrust. To reclaim her life, including a battle with alcoholism, Mandy began crawling to summits, setting her sights on the world's highest freestanding mountain.
With her team's support, Mandy is determined to reach the summit using her upper body strength and sheer willpower. As she ascends, she confronts her past and learns to trust again. Achieving this summit would not only be a personal triumph but also make her the first legless woman to conquer one of the world's Eight Summits without prosthetics.
The Ascent captures the beauty and challenges of Kilimanjaro with the gripping narrative of Mandy's life, including the mystery surrounding the night she lost her legs. This inspiring story of resilience is a must-see for anyone interested in overcoming extraordinary odds.
—SuJ'n Chon
- Director: Edward Drake, Scott Veltri, Francis Cronin
- Principal Cast: Mandy Horvath, Julius John White aka “Whitey,” Carel Verhoef, Sally Grierson
- Country: USA, Tanzania
- Year: 2026
- Running Time: 102 min.
- Producer: Edward Drake, Scott Veltri
- Cinematographers: Laffrey Witbrod
- Editors: Jasleen Kaur, Matt Prekop
- Music: Adam Peters
- Awards: SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026 (Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature)
- Filmography: Drake: Guns Up (2025), Detective Knight: Independence (2023), Detective Knight: Redemption (2022), Detective Knight: Rogue (2022), Gasoline Alley (2022), American Siege (2021), Apex (2021), Cosmic Sin (2021), Broil (2020), Animals (2012); Veltri: Moviepass, Moviecrash (2024)
- Language: English
- International Sales: Range