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In AN UPHILL BATTLE, a team of young women in Afghanistan defy a repressive culture and find freedom in the mountains when they climb their country’s highest peak in the summer of 2018.
After a decade as a conflict photographer, Director Erin Trieb gained intimate access to the main subjects to create poignant character profiles despite Afghanistan’s closed-off society. The female mountaineers profiled in the film are a diverse group that includes Hanifa, a young divorcée who was sold into child marriage, as well as high school girls from middle-class families like Shogufa and Neki. Each woman has a different struggle to overcome in the process, from depression and PTSD to social stigma and financial troubles.
Their stories show the struggles that exist in a country where women are treated like second-class citizens, a theme that echoes worldwide as women fight for equality in varied ways. From the characters’ home lives and sisterhood to the stunning, rugged landscape, this is an unexpected look at Afghanistan.
AN UPHILL BATTLE is a 90-minute feature film featuring strong, compelling characters and beautiful mountain scenery.
The film is edited by Woody Richman of the Academy Award-nominated, Sundance favorites How to Survive a Plague, and Trouble the Water. Part adventure film, part coming-of-age story, and part gender inequality, issue-driven narrative, AN UPHILL BATTLE follows the epic journey of this brave team as they redefine what Afghan women can be—not only for the outside world but also for themselves.
Director Erin Trieb is based in New York and Istanbul. She has worked for magazines and publications worldwide as a photojournalist covering conflict and social justice issues in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria for more than a decade. In 2017 she was named a “Female Icon” of adventure by Outside Magazine. Her work is represented by National Geographic.
We are seeking strategic financial partners who share our passion for bringing this story to light on an international stage and enable us to complete post-production of the film by the end of 2019.
A detailed budget is available upon request.