The multi-award winning 'TOUCHING THE VOID' told the epic story of climber Joe Simpson’s battle for survival in the Andes. But the question on everyone’s lips was: what happened next? 'THE BECKONING SILENCE' helps to provide answers. After the accident, Simpson’s injuries were so severe he was told he’d never climb again. But knowing that he couldn’t give it up forced Simpson to confront a fundamental question: why, after coming so close to death, did he feel compelled to continue climbing?
In his quest for answers, Simpson journeys back to where it all started for him, on the treacherous North Face of the Eiger. As a child Simpson was inspired by the story of Toni Kurz, a brilliant young climber who, in 1936, died on the Eiger in the most horrific circumstances, hanging onto the end of a rope. Over 50 years later in Peru, Kurz’s story haunted Simpson as he battled for his own survival while hanging in midair. His plight uncannily mirrored that of Kurz – except against all the odds, Simpson survived while his hero had perished. Why continue climbing when you have come so close to oblivion? It’s the question Simpson is determined to answer. In this gripping, action packed adventure film with a difference, Simpson finally confronts his demons on the Eiger and rediscovers the thrill of the climb that makes him feel so alive. This is a very human story, a moving and questioning exploration of why men climb and why they feel the need to test themselves in the most brutal and unforgiving landscapes on the planet.