Old Man Lightning

John “Verm” Sherman, a legendary rock climber, raconteur and curmudgeon, has lost his climbing mojo and wants it back. What better way to do that than by scaling the world’s most famous boulder problem, Yosemite’s mythical Midnight Lightning? He conquered it 25 years ago, but since then the climb has gotten harder and Sherman at 60 years old has gotten softer due to beerlust and his passion for bird photography. Nevertheless, he’s stubborn and determined. Plus, Sherman is dedicated to saving condors from extinction through his photography, and if leveraging his climbing celebrity will help, he’ll stop at nothing. With the help of cheerfully sadistic trainer Ryan “Meatball” Whited, Sherman embarks on a six-month mission to conquer bouldering’s “Problem of Problems.” What could possibly go wrong in this comedic climbing comeback film with a conservation twist? You will laugh and cry and maybe even pee your pants. ~ Winner of the Banff The Best Climbing Film 2026