'SOCIETY OF THE SNOW': A Thrilling Survival Story Ending in Cannibalism - Survivors in the Original Story Make Cameo Appearances!

Kapanlagi.com - Written by: Elmira Aubyn Azzahrina

On January 4, 2024, Netflix released a thriller/survival-based film titled SOCIETY OF THE SNOW or in Spanish, LA SOCIEDAD DE LA NIEVE. SOCIETY OF THE SNOW is directed by J.A.Bayona, a popular Spanish filmmaker who has often directed in various famous films. Four of J.A.Bayona's films include THE ORPHANAGE (2017), A MONSTER CALLS (2016), THE IMPOSSIBLE (2012), and the science fiction film about dinosaurs, JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM (2018).

Thanks to his extraordinary skills, J.A. Bayona worked on one of the best and most inspiring true story films. The film SOCIETY OF THE SNOW is based on a book by Pablo Vierci, a journalist from Uruguay who released the book in 2008. The entire content of the book documents the struggle of the survivors who managed to survive when facing the crash of the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in the Andes mountains in 1972. Interestingly, the survivors, who were almost dead, resorted to eating the flesh of their own family members and relatives.

Curious about the story behind the film SOCIETY OF THE SNOW? How could they find shelter in the snow-covered Andes mountains with temperatures reaching -35 degrees? Let's take a look at some unique and astonishing facts about the film below!

1. Taken from the True Story of the 571 Plane Tragedy

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In 1972, a rugby team from Uruguay, the Old Christians Club consisting of 19 members, intended to travel to Santiago, Chile for a match. Friends and family also joined them on the same flight to support their game. The team members enthusiastically spent time on the plane joking around to lighten the mood. Their journey went smoothly until the plane crossed the Andes mountains.

The pilot sensed something unusual with the aircraft system, causing the plane to lose control and crash into a mountain. This resulted in the front and back sections of the plane splitting in two. 16 out of the total 40 passengers managed to survive, but with their bodies covered in injuries.

The survivors exerted all their strength to encourage each other to stay alive. Faced with a tragic situation, it was not easy for them to maintain a positive mindset. Despite their lives being filled with tears and internal conflicts, their 72-day survival in the Andes mountains eventually led to a miracle. Help from above was poured into the book written by Nando Parrado, titled Miracle in the Andes (2006), with the aim of allowing readers to experience the hardships endured by the survivors of the Old Christians Club. This heartbreaking story is truly touching, isn't it, KLovers?

2. Filming at the Scene of a Real Accident

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We can imagine that the actors and the entire team of the film SOCIETY OF THE SNOW worked with great dedication. They not only relied on their editing skills, but also went directly to the location of the real accident to shoot the scenes.

In October 2021, the filming took place in the Valley of Tears, where the location was the site of the Penerbangan 571 plane crash. The shooting location also included the snowy mountains of Granada, Sierra Nevada, at an altitude of almost 3,000 meters. Despite the steep and extreme location, the actors were still motivated to continue shooting.

3. Actors and Director Infected with Covid-19 during Filming

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Did you know, KLovers? On the first day of shooting, all the actors and directors were infected with the Covid-19 virus. This was reported in the sequel film titled SOCIETY OF THE SNOW: WHO WERE WE ON THE MOUNTAIN? which explains the entire process behind the film scenes.

However, this did not stop the filming process at all. The director continued to direct the entire team from a special room. In fact, J. A. Bayona even gave directions to use substitute actors in the middle of the shooting process. Their hard work deserves our applause, KLovers!

4. Two Survivors Climbing with Limited Equipment

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Thanks to the efforts of two survivors who we must appreciate, namely Roberto Canessa (Matías Recalt) and Fernando “Nando” Parrado (Agustín Pardella), who climbed the Andes mountains for 10 days to seek help, this successful rescue their friends on December 23, 1972.

With a total survival of 72 days, aided by the mountain climbing process carried out by both of them, it certainly amazed the audience and left them in tears. Their optimism to reach the rescue point in Chile never disappeared. In fact, they only relied on makeshift climbing equipment and continued to strengthen themselves from the constant barrage of snow hitting their bodies.

5. Acute Hunger Resulting in Cannibalism

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This fact is the most shocking story for the viewers, KLovers! The scarcity of food in the Andes mountains led them to make an unusual decision. As information, the bodies of their relatives were buried right next to the crashed plane. Due to endless hunger, their minds became confused and they decided to eat the flesh of their deceased friends and family.

Actually, this decision was discussed and caused internal conflicts. However, they were forced to engage in cannibalism in order to maintain their energy and survive.

6. Survivors Participate as Cameos

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Another interesting fact from the movie SOCIETY OF THE SNOW is the involvement of survivors of the tragic accident of Flight 571. Among the original victims who participated in the film were Roberto Canessa, who played a doctor, Fernando "Nando" Parrado, who appeared at the beginning of the film at the airport, and Carlitos Paez, who portrayed his own biological father reading the names of the survivors on the radio.

With the involvement of several original survivors in the film, it certainly adds a sentimental impression and a suffocating feeling experienced by the viewers.

7. Successfully Nominated for the 2024 Oscars

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The latest fact behind the film SOCIETY OF THE SNOW that makes us even more amazed is its success in being nominated for the Oscars in 2024, KLovers! The nomination they received is in the category of Best International Feature Film.

Not only the Oscars, this film has also won many prestigious awards. One of them is SOCIETY OF THE SNOW winning multiple awards at the Goya Awards. Some of the categories include Best Film (2024), Best Original Score (2024), Best Cinematography (2024), and even Best Director (2024) for J.A. Bayona. Wow, it's really cool, right?

8. Trailer Film Watched by 3 Million People

Before starting to watch the movie, let's set the mood by watching the trailer of SOCIETY OF THE SNOW first!

Those are some unique characteristics of the movie SOCIETY OF THE SNOW that was released in December 2023. You can also watch this movie as much as you want on the paid site Netflix, KLovers!

(kpl/elm)