FULL CIRCLE: THE FIRST ALL BLACK EVEREST ASCENT
CO-DIRECTOR | PRODUCER
Full Circle: The First All Black Everest Ascent chronicles the first all-Black climbing expedition to summit Mount Everest—a historic journey that challenged the legacy of a predominantly white sport and expanded the story of who belongs in the world's highest places.
Directed and produced by Rolake Bamgbose and Justice A. Whitaker, the film intimately follows a team of climbers from across the United States and Kenya as they travel to Nepal and attempt one of the most dangerous feats in the world. Led by veteran mountaineer Phil Henderson, the team arrives carrying the weight of history alongside deeply personal ambitions of their own. What unfolds is both an extraordinary physical undertaking and a deeply human story about belonging, resilience, and the freedom to imagine ourselves in spaces where we may rarely feel seen.
Full Circle: The First All Black Everest Ascent premiered in the Spotlight section of the 2026 Tribeca Festival and will next screen at the 2026 Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival on August 11, 2026.