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On Thursday, January 4, the survival series “Snow Society” was released on Netflix, which tells the story of a real-life plane crash that happened in the Andes on October 13, 1972, and the subsequent struggle for survival in the harsh climatic conditions of those who managed to survive. The film received excellent press and is in the running for an Oscar from Spain in the Best International Feature Film category. In the review below, we tell you what caused the universal recognition.
Pros:
an infinitely sad story that does not leave anyone indifferent; extremely high-quality technical side – from the depiction of mutilations on the bodies of the doomed to the scene of the plane crash; qualitatively woven drama into the plot about survival; good selection of actors
Cons:
in fact, there are no significant flaws here, except that it is a difficult movie to watch, capable of emotionally devastation. Therefore, it is advisable to recommend the tape to those viewers who feel the strength to watch it
“Snow Society” / La sociedad de la nieve
Genre survival film
Director Juan Antonio Bayona
In roles Enzo Vogrincic, Matias Recalt, Agustin Pardella, Thomas Wolff, Francisco Romero
Premiere Netflix
Graduation year 2024
Site IMDb
In October 1972, the Uruguayan Old Christians rugby team awaited the journey from Montevideo to Santiago, where the next match was to be played, with a pleasant foreboding. On board the Fairchild FH-227D airliner, which was performing a charter flight from the capital of Uruguay to the capital of Chile, there were forty passengers, including young athletes, their relatives and friends, as well as five crew members.
On the approach to the airport, located near Santiago, in terrible weather, the pilot announced in advance that the flight was about to land, although in fact there were about 70 kilometers to the destination. After lowering and improving visibility, the doomed discovered with horror that they were rushing straight into the rock at full speed, but there was not enough time to change their position.
As a result of the collision, the nose, tail and wings of the plane were torn off. The fuselage rolled down the snowy slope and came to a stop at the foot of the extinct Tinguiririk volcano. Some people died immediately, and the survivors were forced to fight uncompromisingly for survival in the most difficult conditions.
Cinematography is not the first time to address this terrible disaster: in 1993, the film “Alive” by Frank Marshall was released, which was also dedicated to those events in the Andes, and Ethan Hawke played the main role in it. There is also a Mexican version from 1976, but few people will remember it now, not to mention that Roger Ebert gave the movie zero points in his review.
“Snow Society” is intended to remind of a terrible tragedy, but first of all it is an attempt to interpret known events as authentically as possible, with Spanish-speaking actors and even live filming at the scene of the tragedy.
The plot is based on the book of the same name by the Uruguayan writer and journalist Pablo Vierchi, which documents the stories of all the participants of the events who managed to survive. In addition, the filmmakers and actors personally listened to the survivors and spoke with the families of the victims.
It is obvious that a lot of work was done by the creative team even before filming. This was also reflected in the result. Director Juan Antonio Bayona, who after the hit “Impossible” (2012) is not the first to film about disasters and survival, has released a terrifyingly realistic film, focused not so much on the solemnity of the human spirit as on mental (and physical) torment and the complexity of moral choices. with which the heroes had to face.
Yes, each of them is a hero, who, however, had to eat pieces of the meat of a fallen friend in order to survive. After all, yesterday they were planning together to meet Chilean beauties. The authors do not manipulate this abnormality and delicately approach the topic, which is difficult to put in one’s head, offering the viewer to become an outside observer. Hardly anyone here wants to be the one who condemns.
“Snow Society” is really hard to watch, especially in such troubling times that we all have to live in. There is no place for the spectacular throwing typical of Hollywood survival films, so you should not expect entertainment from watching it.
Bayona’s tape is mostly dialogic and extremely down-to-earth, to a certain extent chamber, despite the majestic snow-covered landscapes around. Even the emotional ending is almost devoid of the usual pathos. But this is precisely where the power of the story lies, in particular the achievement of the above-mentioned realism. And if you believe in what is happening on the screen, you will definitely care about the fate of the characters.
There are quite a lot of the latter in this story, so you won’t be able to remember most of them. The plot has several conventional main characters who have leadership qualities, but there is no desire to root for anyone individually, and such justice seems appropriate. Among others, the character of Enzo Vogrinčić, who is also entrusted with the role of voice-over narrator, stands out. But, most likely, he is remembered because his facial features suggest a young version of Adam Driver.
“Snow Society” is a technically sound work, in which the plane crash scene, with its outstanding tension and dynamic montage in the climax, deserves a separate analysis, and the location shooting evokes fear and admiration at the same time. But the most important thing is that this is a very sad and difficult movie, which, however, is able to melt the thickest ice in the heart.
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Conclusion:
“Snow Society” received universal recognition and views on the “Golden Globe”, “Oscar” and a bunch of other awards for good reason. This story once again reminds us that even in the darkest and most difficult times there is a place for saving light.
