On December 22nd, 2023, a Spanish film by the name Society of the Snow was released on the incredibly popular streaming platform Netflix, as well as select theaters. While the movie did not have a dramatic theatrical release, it was received remarkably by movie critics everywhere, earning a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 7.8 on IMDB. It even went as far as being nominated for two 2024 Academy Awards—including Best International Feature Film and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
The film, directed by J.A. Bayona, centers around an Uruguayan rugby team that got stranded in the Andes Mountain Range in 1972. They were trapped for a rough 72 days, attempting to survive against starvation, dehydration, sickness, an avalanche, and their own insanity. The story is based on the 2006 memoir “Miracle in the Andes” by Nando Parrado, who was one of the only 16 survivors out of the original 45. The story itself has been retold countless times in a plethora of books and television adaptations, but I truly believe that Society of the Snow was the best version of all.
I originally watched this film on a random day in December of last year, which I would later learn happened on the same day they had gotten rescued many years ago (crazy coincidence right?), and you might be wondering, why talk about it now? Well I’m here to tell you:
Everything about this movie, from the visuals to the storytelling, were nearly, if not perfectly done. The film’s ability to capture all of the distraught and anguish the passengers felt in their time on those mountains absolutely blew me away, to the point where it hasn’t been able to escape my mind in the 2 months since I’ve watched it.
The way in which they portrayed the essence of a dying man, as seen through all of them, but especially in Nando’s eyes when he realizes he’s lost both his mother and sister to the snow, was truly a pain to see. The deaths in the film, more specifically the death of the apparent main character, Numa, felt like one of the most heart-wrenching moments of my life. It might have been the element of surprise, considering that I had fully expected him to be guaranteed survival as he was the main character, but his death was what pained me the most about this film. Its portrayal of all these innocent people, who you grow attached to throughout, and seeing them suffer through an icy hell when none of them did anything to deserve it. It sticks to your soul, because this happened to real people, it wasn’t just another Hollywood movie.
The acting in this film was truly remarkable as well, with performances from many underground actors–such as Enzo Vogrincic, Matías Recalt, Augustín Pardella, etc. None of these actors failed to amaze me with their talent, and it was much more enjoyable to see new faces on the screen rather than the same old recycled ones in every other movie.
I have never been more grateful for the warmth of my own bed than after watching this film. It’s changed my perspective on so many things in life–but mainly, to not take simple things for granted, because the world could always take them away.
