A Poignant Tale of Survival, Is Society of the Snow Based on a True Story?

The Spanish contender for the upcoming Oscars, Society of the Snow is a bone-chilling tale of survival. The director, J. A. Bayona explores the intricacies of life and once again questions the true meaning of death. Bayona has a track record of trudging along the fine line between the need for survival and the greed of sentience. He has gone from directing Hollywood masterpieces such as Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom to breathing life into this minimalistic yet profound story of endurance. The Rings of Power director certainly harbours a keen interest in delving into the very core of humans and humanity. Similar to his other creations, even this Netflix survival drama is a massive hit.

This is the reason why questions regarding the authenticity of the film have been flourishing incessantly. So, is Society of the Snow based on a true story? Or is it adapted from a novel? Let’s find out!

Is Society of the Snow Based on a True Story?

Yes, Society of the Snow is based on a true story. It is a Netflix original that documents the 1972 real-life disaster that saw a plane of nearly 45 rugby players crash. Only 16 of these lived to narrate their heart-wrenching tale of tenacity. Their narratives have been chronicled by the acclaimed author and journalist, Pablo Vierci, in his eponymous bestseller. Bayona drew inspiration from Vierci’s novel and went on to interview all the survivors to capture the true essence of the ordeal.

As he mentioned himself, the crew took reference from the book, the people and even the recordings. “We had over 100 hours of recordings. And then we kept in contact with the survivors throughout the shoot. All the actors were in contact with the survivors and the families of the deceased. So the shoot became like an exploration looking to answer the big questions,” the Penny Dreadful’s director recalled. 

Society of the Snow has been passionately brewed over for over a decade. However, due to financial issues, Bayona had to stall the project several times. “I’ve been trying to look to get the finance to do this film for many, many years. In so many interviews, I’d always end by saying, hopefully, my next movie will be in Spanish. But it took us 10 years to find financing, and it was Netflix who finally were brave enough to allow us to tell the story with the level of ambition that we were looking for — in Spanish, with local actors, in the same locations where the story took place and in the same conditions,” Payona mentioned. 

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Society of the Snow Overview

The Old Christians Club rugby players boarded Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 on October 13, 1972, oblivious to the impending tragedy. The pilot began descending into the airway a little too early and crashed into the Andes. A dozen players died on the spot while the remaining ones were forced to endure a life worse than death. These survivors were thrown into an abyss of hunger and thirst, with only a shred of hope to cling on. And they clung to it with all their might for several weeks.

When hunger wreaked havoc on their minds and rendered them helpless, their bodies gave up. Multiple people passed away due to hunger and those who survived were forced to feast on the mass of the deceased. The height of mortification rose–or shall I say dropped?–to sheer depravity when these survivors’ hopes were crushed brutally. They kept anticipating a rescue team but as they stared at death, they understood the true meaning of life. Rugby players falling apart like dominoes and hunger ruling them isn’t just a scene; it is a depiction of how far our primal needs could take us. Beyond this, Society of the Snow questions the takeaway the rugby players took home after finally being rescued.

Is Society of the Snow Based on a True Story?–FAQs

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