NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNELS INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCES FIRST ASCENT WITH SENDER FILMS

(Washington, DC – April 14, 2009) National Geographic Channels International has announced the co-production of the six-part series First Ascent with Sender Films. Filmed in HD, each of the 30-minute episodes will follow top-level adventure athletes as they attempt some of the most daring and dangerous mountaineering stunts in this extreme sport. The series will be available on NGCI’s Nat Geo Adventure channel beginning in third quarter of this year. 

First Ascent captures all of the excitement and adrenaline as expert mountaineers push their vertical skills to the limit. The climbers tackle some incredible feats including walking tightropes across rock spires and BASE jumping off previously impenetrable peaks in the U.S. Western wilderness, and deep water soloing, involving a 15-metre ropeless climb and a plunge into the Mediterranean Sea off Mallorca, Spain. 

“First Ascent is a heart-stopping, action-packed series that takes viewers to some of the most stunning and formidable heights in the world – all captured in HD”, said Sydney Suissa, Executive Vice President of Content for NGCI. “Building off the momentum of the successful documentary King Lines, First Ascent will further fuel the appetite of our Nat Geo Adventure viewers craving adventure from their armchairs”. 

”We are really excited to bring the world of climbing and outdoor adventure to a global television audience,” said Nick Rosen of Sender Films. “Behind every great climb is a great character, a fascinating story, and an opportunity for beautiful cinematography.”

About National Geographic Channels International
National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) invites viewers to re-think the way they see television - and the world - with smart, innovative programming. A business enterprise owned by National Geographic Television (NGT) and FOX Entertainment Group, NGCI contributes to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education through its five channels: National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Channel HD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Adventure and Nat Geo Music. 

Globally, National Geographic Channel (including NGC U.S. which is a joint venture of NGT and Fox Cable Networks Group) is available in 305 million homes in 165 countries and 34 languages. 

For more information, please visit www.natgeotv.com 

About Sender Films
Sender Films, headed up by Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen, is an Emmy-winning production company and one of the world’s leading producers of climbing/outdoor adventure films. Their most well-known films, “First Ascent,” “King Lines” and “The Sharp End” have garnered dozens of festival awards and sold scores of thousands of DVDs worldwide, and are regarded as masterpieces of adventure documentary filmmaking. 

Sender Films’ past television work includes numerous segments for NBC’s “Jeep World of Adventure Sports” (which garnered an Emmy for Best Camera Work) and The Weather Channel’s “Epic Conditions”. 

Visit: www.senderfilms.com