Society of the Snow, based on a true story, is a harrowing retelling of a plane crash in the Andes mountains in 1972.
A rugby team of male students along with friends, family, and 5 crew members were flying from Montevideo, Uruguay, to Santiago, Chile, for a game on October 13, 1972. A total of 45 people were on the airplane.
After surviving eight days, the survivors were left to fend on their own with temperatures dipping and no supplies.
Determined to live, survivors took extreme measures over the 72 days before their rescue – going so far as to consuming the remains of those who had passed.
Despite their dire situation, they maintained one necessary means of survival – the will to live. Together, the survivors were able to care for one another, strengthen resolve, and continue searching for a way home by looking out for each other. They worked as a team, recognizing their own individual strengths for their survival as a whole.
Poignant scenes such as the plane crash sequence early in the film’s runtime brought to mind the impossibility of survival in these circumstances – making for gripping cinema that was impossible to turn away from. This is certainly not a film that you want to eat pizza while watching.
The performance from the actors throughout the film pulled the focus toward teamwork, bringing the hardships the survivors endured to light.
This kept the film realistic, rather than highlighting their survival as a miracle or utilizing the shock factor of their necessary turn towards cannibalism to survive.
Filming took place in part at the actual crash site. The director took time to capture the remoteness of the real location at other shooting locations used throughout the film – alongside the transformation of the actors, the cinematography kept the film grounded in reality.
The film focused on a handful of survivors fairly equally, although the actor portraying Numa Turcatti narrated his inner monologue which reflected the daily internal battle between hope and despair felt by the team members in turn.
This story has been adapted previously, but none captures humanity and brotherhood quite like Society of the Snow.
Where typical survivor movies emphasize the selfishness of the human spirit, this story focuses on the necessity of brotherhood and the collective spirit – looking out for one another as the only means of survival.
Faced with catastrophe after catastrophe, audiences are able to witness this group of remarkable humans fighting against the slimmest odds.
This story of resilience, inner strength and camaraderie highlights the indomitable spirit of the human condition. It is a must watch.