Roccia is the greatest, most experienced mountain climber in
the world, conquerer of all 8000 meter peaks and of the highest mountains
of all seven continents. Martin, on the other hand, is the world's top-rated
sport climber, the most outstanding representative of a new generation
of mountain climbers. The main role, however, is played by a mountain:
Cerro Torre, an incredible, bizarre granite tower in Argentina in the south
of Patagonia - the most difficult mountain of Earth and the greatest alpine
challenge.
During Roccia's Cerro Torre expedition a tragedy occurs: Martin
attempts an ascent together with Hans, Roccia's long-time climbing partner
- but without Roccia - and Hans falls to his death.
Nevertheless, Martin maintains that he reached the summit, even
though he has no proof of his feat. Roccia sees himself cheated out of
the final, crowning achievement of his career. As if that were not enough,
Katharina. Roccia's girlfriend and secretary, changes over to the camp
of the new champion. The two men break each other: their paths separate.
Deeply hurt, Roccia remains in Patagonia to think things over,
and to try to clear up the puzzling incident on Cerro Torre. While he restlessly
roams through the wilderness, far away in Europe, Martin celebrates his
triumph. Unwittingly, however, the young star slips into the cogs of the
very same marketing machinery from which Roccia his just escaped. Put under
pressure by public suspicion of his unsupported claim to a first ascent
of Cerro Torre, nagged by the dark suspicion that he is to blame for Hans'
death, Martin feels compelled to tackle the terrible mountain a second
time. His climbing expedition is financed by a multi-national concern that
hopes to get a sensational commercial.
In Patagonia, Roccia has gotten to know the mountain like no
other man. At the foot of Cerro Torre, the paths of the two men finally
come together again. In front of the television cameras, their rivalry
turns into a bitter climbing duel with a fatal outcome. Like two soulless,
remote-controlled machines, the two adversaries climb in a blind rage,
throwing their lives in the balance. In this battle, there can be no winners. |