A Uruguayan rugby team is stranded in the Andes Mountains for 72 days after their plane crashed. The surviving members are forced to resort to consuming the bodies of their deceased comrades in order to endure the harsh conditions. These real events, which took place in 1972 and served as the basis for the Hollywood film “Alive” in 1993, now serve as inspiration for filmmaker J.A. Bayona's latest work, “The Snow Society.” Rather than a simple story of human perseverance, Bayona's retelling, based on the book of the same name by Pablo Vierci, delves into the emotional and spiritual struggles faced by the survivors, exploring their battle to maintain their humanity in the midst of the most inhumane acts. .
The script, written by Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques-Olearraga and Nicolás Casariego, transcends the mere physical test of survival and examines the profound impact on the characters' psyche. The narrative reflects on acts that were once unthinkable and became routine for survivors. Spain has submitted “The Snow Society” for consideration in the Academy Award's international feature film category, and recently secured a spot on the Oscar shortlist for makeup and hairstyling, original music and visual effects.
Director: J.A. Bayona
Writers: J.A. Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques
Stars: Enzo Vogrincic, Agustín Pardella, Matías Recalt
“The Snow Society” marks Bayona’s return to Spanish-language cinema since her debut with the gothic horror fable “The Orphanage” in 2007. Despite Bayona’s subsequent films in English, including the tsunami survival drama “The Impossible” (2012) and In the box office hit “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” (2018), the director's confidence remains solid and substantial. The film features limited filming at the remote crash site and a significant portion in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Spain. Bayona keeps the focus on the characters and their experiences, allowing the production efforts to fade into the background seamlessly.
The depiction of the accident itself is characterized by unflinching realism, conveying the bone-breaking power as seats and bodies collapse like dominoes, creating an almost unbelievable survival scenario. As the survivors achieve a semblance of everyday normality, an avalanche disrupts their lives once again.
While inevitable comparisons arise with the television series "Yellowjackets," where a 1990s American high school girls' soccer team resorts to cannibalism after an accident in the Pacific Northwest, "Society of the Snow" sets itself apart. for remaining firmly rooted in the immediacy of reality. events. The film focuses on the Old Christians rugby team and highlights the collective effort and sacrifices of the group rather than individual heroic acts. The emphasis on the giving of bodies and flesh underscores the deep sense of sacrifice.
As the film concludes, it becomes clear that the meaning of her harrowing experience is subjective and left to each individual to interpret. Bayona skillfully combines survival adventure with otherworldly spirituality, suggesting that the survivors were touched by something greater, but the answers to their needs were within them all along.
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