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. While in military service at age 20, Eitan is diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a rare and incurable genetic disease that causes blindness. With only 5% of his central vision remaining, Eitan learns to rock climb and ascends 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."
- The Independent
"A powerful message of resilience."
- The Miami Times
"Inspirational in all the right ways with terrific storytelling from beginning to end. LOOKING UP is a film to watch for."
- The Independent Critic
WINNER
TRAILER
BIOS
EITAN ARMON
Eitan is a veteran IDF paratrooper, where he was a sharpshooter and 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 for which she was awarded the NY Women in Film and Television Award for Excellence in Documentary Directing. The film also won the jury award for Best Documentary Feature at the Lonely Seal Film Festival.
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
CREDITS
Producer and Director: Elena Neuman
Director of Photography: Dani Tenenbaum
Mountain Cinematography: Damian Benegas & Nils Bailey
Editor: Dennis Clark
Original Score: Michael Bryan Stein
Original Song "Looking UP"
Written and produced by Michael Bryan Stein
Performed by Edan Tamler
Impact Producer: Chen Drachman
Motion Graphics: Michael Barnett
Trailer Editor: Mathew C. Ein
Yosemite Production Assistant: Bianca Fidani
Yosemite Climbing Assistant: Filipe Randis
Festival Consultant: Nancy Collet
Publicists:
Amy Prenner
The Prenner Group
Wendy Zipes Hunter
Suzie Cornell
Prana PR
Featuring (in order of appearance) :
Eitan Armon
Jay Lefkowitz
Willie Benegas
Tamar Arenson
Rami Armon
Dr. Edwin Stone
Dr. Tal Ben Shachar
Robert Heidenberg
Run Time: 01:11:34
Accessibility: Captions and Audio Description
WHERE TO SEE
Denver Jewish Film Festival
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 @ 7 PM
Elaine Wolf Theatre
350 S Dahlia St
Denver CO
https://tickets.jccdenver.org/djff
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Austin Jewish Filim Festival
Thursday, February 19, 2026 @ 7 PM
Dell JCC
7300 Hart Lane
Austin TX
JCC Indianapolis
Indianpolis IN
Sunday, March 8, 2026
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
NJ Jewish Film Festival
MetroWest NJ
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 @ 1 PM
POST-SCREENING ZOOM Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Bender JCC of Greater WashingtonRockville, MDSunday, April 12, 2026Kaplan JCC on the Palisades
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
EITAN ARMON AND
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Kaplan JCC on the Palisades
Tenafly NJ
Thursday April 30, 2026
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
EITAN ARMON, TAMAR ARENSON
AND DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
PAST SCREENINGS
Miami Jewish Film Festival
January 12, 2025 @ 6:30 PM
The Michael-Ann Russell JCC Theatre
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
EITAN ARMON AND
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival
February 27, 2025 @ 12:30 PM
St. George UT
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN &
CINEMATOGRAPHER DAMIEN BENEGAS
Annapolis Film Festival
March 30, 2025 @ 12:30 PM
Annapolis MD
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
EITAN ARMON AND
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Julien Dubuque
International Film Festival
April 23, 2025 @ 1:30 PM
April 24, 2025 @ 7:45 PM
Dubuque IA
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
CESJDS
May 16, 2025
Rockville MD
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
EITAN ARMON AND
TAMAR ARENSON
Aspen, CO Screening
August 12, 2025 @ 5:30
The Isis Theater
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Lonely Seal International Film Festival
August 24, 2025 @ 3 PM
Regent Theater
Boston, MA
Richmond International Film Festival
September 28, 2025 @ 4:30 PM
Bowtie Cinemas
Richmond, VA
Chagrin Documentary Film Festival
October 9, 2025 @ 1:30 PM
October 10, 2025 @ 7:30 PM
Chagrin Valley Little Theater
40 River Street
Chagrin Falls, OH
SOHO International Film Festival
October 9, 2025 @ 7:45 PM
Regal Union Square Theater 14
850 Broadway @ 14th Street
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
EITAN ARMON AND
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Newport Beach Film Festival
October 18, 2025
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN &
COMPOSER MICHAEL STEIN
Twin Cities Film Festival
October 19, 2025
Minneapolis, MN
St. Louis International Film Festival
November 11, 2025 @ 5 PM
November 13, 2025 @ 5 PM
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Breaking Down Barriers Film Festival
November 7-10, 2025
Moscow, Russia
POST-SCREENING ZOOM Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Festival of the Arts
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 13, 2025 @ 3 PM
November 14, 2025 @ 3:45 PM
November 15, 2025 @ 2:30 PM
Cinematheque Tel Aviv
Helsinki Jewish Community Center
November 19 @ 5:45 PM Finnish Time
Malminkatu 26 (Helsinki)
POST-SCREENING ZOOM Q&A WITH
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
Kayenta Center for the Arts
BEST OF FEST DOCUTAH
Dec. 5, 2025
Ivins, UT
Raanana Theater
December 7, 2025 @ 7 PM
Yad LeBanim Raanana
Ahuza St. 147
POST SCREENING Q&A
WITH DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
CASTMEMBER JAY LEFKOWITZ,
SIGAL SAHAF ILAN FROM LIROT,
DR. DROR SHARON FROM
HEBREW UNIVERSITY
AND DR. GILAD LITVIN,
CO-FOUNDER AND CMO OF CorNEAT
REELABILITIES SCREENING
Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan
December 9, 2025
New York, NY
POST-SCREENING Q&A WITH
EITAN ARMON AND
DIRECTOR ELENA NEUMAN
SOLD OUT
PRESS
"Stunning cinematography, heart-pounding climbing sequences and intimate exploration of personal struggle."
-- The Sun Independent
"This is the kind of film audiences love to see."
-- The Independent Critic
"A powerful message of resilience."
-- The Miami Times
"An emotional and deeply inspiring portrait of perseverance and positivity."
-- IndieWrap
