Oscars: ‘Free Solo’ Wins Best Documentary Feature

‘Free Solo,’ starring Alex Honnold and directed by Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasarhelyi, won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards.

News of Alex Honnold’s incredible ropeless ascent of El Cap swept the nation in June 2017. And thanks to a phenomenal documentary created by Chin, Vasarhelyi, and producers Evan Hayes and Shannon Dill, the ascent continued to ripple into the mainstream. Today, it claimed an Oscar.

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The 91st Academy Awards took place February 24, and the biggest story among the outdoor industry scene was the nomination of “Free Solo.” Amidst a field of nominations for Best Documentary Feature, “Free Solo” came away with the victory.

“Thank you National Geographic for believing in us, and for hiring women and people of color, because we only help make the films better,” Vasarhelyi said. “Thank you to all the amazing people who worked on this film.”

Other nominees for Best Documentary Feature include “Hale County This Morning, This Evening,” “Minding the Gap,” “Of Fathers and Sons,” and “RBG.”

‘Free Solo’ Wins Oscar for Best Documentary Feature

“Free Solo” premiered in select theaters on September 28, 2018. The film was a resounding success. The compelling story dives deep into Honnold’s life of free soloing amazingly difficult rock faces, as well as his relationship with his family and girlfriend, Sanni McCandless.

It went on to amass more than $13 million in U.S. box office sales. And it earned 44 nominations and 14 awards from festivals and critics worldwide.

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To cap it off, “Free Solo” is Chin and Vasarhelyi’s first Oscar nomination and Oscar.

If you haven’t seen “Free Solo,” you’re missing out. You can buy it for $10 or rent it for $6 on Amazon and iTunes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D85NUx8NneQ