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Looking UP is the inspiring story of Eitan Armon, a young man facing encroaching blindness who takes on the challenge of climbing the world’s most epic granite wall.
At age 20, while serving in the military, Eitan is diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare and incurable genetic disease that causes blindness. With only 5% of his central vision remaining, Eitan decides to challenge himself and ascend Yosemite’s daunting El Capitan. Looking Up documents Eitan’s journey and resilience, demonstrating the endless possibilities for those who approach life with positivity.
"A visually stunning climbing film and a deeply moving human story."
-- James McFadden, The Independent
WINNER
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BIOS
Bios
EITAN ARMON
Eitan is a veteran IDF paratrooper, where he was named the outstanding soldier of his company. After getting diagnosed with RP, Eitan was medically discharged from the military and enrolled at Columbia University, where he studied neuropsychology. Eitan was a Phi Beta Kappa honors graduate and a Rhodes Scholar finalist. Since graduating, Eitan has been applying the lessons he learned through his own patient experience and positive psychology research by working to raise awareness for RP and emerging treatments. Eitan serves as a mentor to others with visual impairments and as a member of the Foundation for Fighting Blindness Strategic Council. Professionally, Eitan works as a financial analyst covering healthcare services companies.
In his spare time, Eitan is an avid skier and hiker, rabid Boston sports fan, and loves dancing with his friends and family.
ELENA NEUMAN
Producer/Director
Elena is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and founder of NeumanFILMS based in New York City. Elena’s short film about four Holocaust survivors, People Forget, New Haven Remembers, aired on Connecticut Public Television and is currently streaming on CPTV. Elena co-produced/directed Wishmakers, a short film about an award-winning wine produced by mentally handicapped adults. The film won the International Gold Medal from the World Humanitarian Awards and an award of merit at IndieFEST. Elena has also produced content for many educational and non-profit organizations. Looking UP marks Elena’s feature film directorial debut.
Previously, Elena was an associate producer at Manifold Productions where she worked on three PBS films: The Fall of Newt Gingrich, Rediscovering George Washington, and God and the Inner City. A graduate of Cornell and Yale Universities, Elena spent her early career as a print journalist before segueing into documentary filmmaking. When she's not making films, Elena loves hiking, biking and skiing in the mountains. Filming in Yosemite was a dream come true.
PHOTOS
Photos
CREDITS
Credits
Directed and Produced by: Elena Neuman
Director of Photography: Dani Tenenbaum
Mountain Cinematography:
Damian Benegas and Nils Bailey
Editor: Dennis Clark
Original Score by: Michael Bryan Stein
Impact Producer: Chen Drachman
Original Song "Looking UP"
Written and produced by Michael Bryan Stein
Performed by Edan Tamler
Color and Online Editor: Kyle Kelley
Sound Mix: Matthew Kulewicz
Additional Cinematography:
John Rossi
Tom Shaked
Motion Graphics: Michael Barnett
Trailer Editor: Mathew C. Ein
Yosemite Production Assistant: Bianca Fidani
Yosemite Climbing Assistant: Filipe Randis
Festival Consultant: Nancy Collet
Publicists:
Wendy Zipes Hunter
Suzie Cornell
Prana PR
Amy Prenner
The Prenner Group
Featuring (in order of appearance) :
Eitan Armon
Jay Lefkowitz
Willie Benegas
Tamar Arenson
Rami Armon
Dr. Edwin Stone
Dr. Tal Ben Shachar
Robert Heidenberg
Filming Locations:
Yosemite National Park, CA
New York, NY
Salt Lake City, UT
Hackensack, NJ
Wasatch National Forest, UT
Silver Spring, MD
Ra'anana, Israel
Iowa City, IA
Englewood, NJ
Closter, NJ
West Nyack, NY
Run Time: 01:11:34
Accessibility features:
Captions and Audio Description
WHERE TO SEE
Where to See
Newport Beach Film Festival
CALIFORNIA PREMIERE!
October 18, 2025 @ 1 PM
The Big Newport
200 Newport Center Drive East
Newport Beach, CA
https://newportbeachff2025.eventive.org/films/689a4fd1c7cd1586afbb2dff
Twin Cities Film Festival
October 19, 2025 @ 12 PM
Minneapolis, MN
https://twincitiesfilmfest.org/film-fest-movie/looking-up/
St. Louis International Film Festival
November 13, 2025 @ 7 PM
MX Movies618 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO
POST-SCREENING Q&A
WITH DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
https://festivals.cinemastlouis.org/sliff2025/movies/looking-up/
Breaking Down Barriers Film Festival
November 7-10
Moscow, Russia
Jewish Federation of South New Jersey
November 11, 2025 @ 7 PM
Katz JCC
Cherry Hill, NJ
POST-SCREENING Q&A
WITH DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
and CAST-MEMBER ROBERT HEIDENBERG
Spirit Film Festival
November 14 and November 15, 2025
Cinematheque Tel Aviv
Kayenta Center for the Arts
Dec. 5, 2025 @ 7:30 PM
Ivins, UT
Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan
December 9, 2025 @ 7 PM
334 Amsterdam Ave. @ 76th St.
New York, NY
POST-SCREENING Q&A
WITH EITAN ARMON AND DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
https://www.mmjccm.org/event/film-looking-up
PAST SCREENINGS
Miami Jewish Film Festival
WORLD PREMIERE!
January 12, 2025 @ 6:30 PM
Miami, FL
DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival
February 27, 2025 @ 12:30 PM
and February 29 @ 11:15 AM
St. George UT
ANNAPOLIS Film Festival
March 30, 2025 @ 12:30 PM
Annapolis, MD
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
April 23 @ 1:30 PM
April 24 @ 7:45 PM
Dubuque, IA
CESJDS
May 16, 2025
Rockville MD
Aspen Screening to benefit Challenge Aspen
August 12, 2025 @ 5 PM
Isis Theater, Aspen, CO
Lonely Seal Film Festival
August 24, 2025 @ 3 PM
Regent Theater
Boston, MA
Richmond International Film Festival
September 28, 2025 @ 4:30 PM
Bowtie CinemasRichmond, VA
Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
October 9, 2025 @ 1:30 PM
October 10, 2025 @ 7:30 PM
Chagrin Valley Little Theater
SOHO International Film Festival
NY PREMIERE!
October 9, 2025 @ 7:45 PM
Regal Union Square Theater14
850 Broadway @ 14th Street
CONTACT
For Festival Inquiries: nancy@cinemacollet.com
For Press Inquiries and Interviews: amy@theprennergroup.com
For Non-Festival Bookings: contact@chendrachman.com
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