Movies
TV Shows
People

Jimmy Chin

Known For
Directing

Known Credits
17

Gender
Male

Birthday
October 12, 1973 (52 years old)

Place of Birth
Mankato, Minnesota, USA

Jimmy Chin

Biography

Jimmy Chin (born October 12, 1973) is an American professional climber, mountaineer, skier, director and photographer. He has organized and led numerous climbing, ski-mountaineering and exploratory expeditions to China, Pakistan, Nepal, Tanzania, Chad, Mali, South Africa, Borneo, India and Argentina. His achievements include climbing and skiing Mount Everest from the summit, making first ascents of big walls and alpine towers in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan and the Garwhal Himalayas of Northern India, crossing the Chang Tang Plateau in north-western Tibet on foot.

Chin's work documenting expeditions and climbs has been featured in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Outside magazine and others. In 2019, Chin was awarded the National Geographic "Photographer's Photographer Award" by his peers. His first book of photography documenting his career in the mountains, There and Back, became a New York Times Best Seller in 2021. Chin co-directs with his wife Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. Together they directed the documentary Meru, which won numerous awards including the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and was shortlisted for an Academy Award, and Free Solo, which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, a BAFTA and seven Primetime Emmys. Free Solo had the highest-grossing opening weekend in history for a documentary.

Known For

Production

2026The Lake...Executive Producer
2025Love+War...Producer
2025Lost in the Jungle...Producer
2024Endurance...Producer
2024Photographer...Executive Producer
2023Angel City...Executive Producer
2023Wild Life...Producer
2022Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin...Executive Producer
2022Return to Space...Producer
202114 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible...Executive Producer
2021The Rescue...Producer
2018Free Solo...Producer
2015Meru...Producer
From the Edge...Producer
In Tandem...Executive Producer
Bartali...Producer

Directing

2025Love+War...Director
2025Lost in the Jungle...Director
2024Endurance...Director
2024Photographer...Director
2023NYAD...Director
2023Wild Life...Director
2022Return to Space...Director
2021The Rescue...Director
2018What if He Falls?...Director
2018Free Solo...Director
2015Meru...Director
2012Reel Rock 7...Director
2012The Shark's Fin...Director
From the Edge...Director
Bartali...Director

Camera

2023Wild Life...Director of Photography
2018Free Solo...Director of Photography
2015Meru...Director of Photography

Visual Effects

1991Strings...VFX Artist

Creator

Into The Unknown...Creator

Writing

From the Edge...Writer

Acting

2023Wild Lifeas Self
2022Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chinas Self
2021Tornas Self
202114 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossibleas Himself
2021La Liste : Everything or Nothingas
2020K2: The Impossible Descentas Himself
2019Fine Linesas Self
2018Queen Maud Landas
2018Reel Rock 13as
2018Free Soloas Self
2015Meruas Himself
2012Reel Rock 7as Self
2012The Shark's Finas
2011Ueli Steck - Speed, Der schnellste Mann am Bergas Self
2010Reel Rockas
1988LIVE with Kelly and Markas Self - Guest
1953The Oscarsas Self