Tenzing

Tenzing is coming to The Odyssey Cinema on Monday 9 November and Thursday 12 November. It's a biopic about Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who joined Edmund Hillary on the first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. The film is directed by Jennifer Peedom, who also directed River, and written by Luke Davies, who wrote Lion. They worked with Norgay's son to bring him to life, portraying him as cheerful and stoic but iron-willed, with Hiddleston's Hillary as his foil.

Norgay is the focus here. Born an outsider in the shadow of the Himalayas, he felt a deep spiritual connection to the mountains and a drive to know them better; by 1953, widowhood and decades of failed attempts hadn't dampened it. Genden Phuntsok takes the title role, and Tom Hiddleston plays Hillary. The supporting cast includes Willem Dafoe, Catríona Balfe, Harry Greenwood and Thinley Lhamo. It runs 128 minutes and is rated PG.

The Odyssey is an independent single-screen Art Deco cinema on London Road that programmes new releases alongside classics, event cinema and special screenings, with licensed bars. It's a good spot for a mid-week trip if you're around St Albans.

There are two screenings: Monday 9 November at 19:30 and Thursday 12 November at 12:30. Tickets are £14-£16, with VIP seats at £18 and a £3.00 transaction fee.