HARTFORD, Conn., Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Netflix film Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa garners critical acclaim with its 2024 Academy Award Nomination, winning a 2025 Sports Emmy, and taking home a 2025 Peabody Award for excellence in storytelling, a storm of legal controversy looms over its star subject: world-record holding climber Lhakpa Sherpa, and the media companies involved, including Netflix, SK Global, OBB Media, MakeMake Entertainment, and the San Francisco-based production company Avocados and Coconuts co-founded by Dalia Burde.

A Connecticut-born, award-winning filmmaker, Alan Blassberg, now residing in California has filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit and a civil breach-of-contract suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. The legal action names Lhakpa Sherpa, Netflix, and entertainment companies SK Global, OBB Media, MakeMake Entertainment, and Avocados and Coconuts as Defendants.

The Amended Complaint alleges that the Plaintiff spent more than five years developing a film titled Goddess of the Sky, about Lhakpa Sherpa—a woman who could climb the highest mountains in the world, yet could not climb out of an abusive relationship. According to the lawsuit, Sherpa had a contract with Mr. Blassberg, which she breached by filming with some of the defendants during the contract period. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that Ms. Sherpa had access to copyrighted materials and non-public works obtained from Mr. Blassberg. These materials were then allegedly used—without credit or compensation to Blassberg—to develop and produce what would become Mountain Queen. The film was sold to Netflix shortly after the September 2023 Toronto Film Festival and released by Netflix on July 31, 2024. "It wasn't just a film project; it represented Mr. Blassberg's invested savings and the result of years of emotional and physical effort," said Mr. Blassberg's attorney, Noel C. Pace. 

According to Mr. Pace, despite attempts to resolve the matter reasonably with Netflix, SK Global, Avocados and Coconuts, and Sherpa, there was a pattern of delay, denial, and disregard by the Defendants, who profited from Mr. Blassberg's work while ignoring his contributions. "Their refusal to credit his work is not just unfair—it's unlawful. When given a chance to do the right thing, Sherpa and these companies chose not to," said Mr. Pace. "We demand accountability."

"Professionalism, common courtesy, consent, and compensation would have sufficiently resolved Plaintiff's claims and prevented this lawsuit" added Attorney Elysa Galloway. "We look forward to the Court providing the justice that is due to Mr. Blassberg."

For all updated case activity, please go to https://goddessofthesky.com

CONTACT: Elysa Galloway, elysa@elysagallowaylaw.com, 954-998-3828

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SOURCE Law Offices of Elysa Galloway