The story of the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 has been depicted on screen before, notably in Frank Marshall’s 1993 film „Alive.“ However, J.A. Bayona’s film „Society of the Snow“ on Netflix revisits the story with a haunting level of physical and psychological detail.
Bayona’s film delves into the complexity and moral dilemmas of the story, distancing itself from Marshall’s more lighthearted take and from Hollywood disaster films in general – including Bayona’s own 2012 tsunami drama „The Impossible.“ Spain’s official submission for the 96th Academy Awards is an intimate portrayal of the real-life events most commonly associated with cannibalism.
Based on the book by Pablo Vierci, „Society of the Snow“ is a brutal, chilling tale of survival following the crash of Flight 571 en route to Santiago, Chile in 1972. Bayona’s approach to the „triumph of the human spirit“ – the cinematic merging of real events with a feel-good factor – is thorough yet stringent. He flips this concept on its head, presenting the suffering of the Flight 571 survivors as a dark narrative to which we are given a secret, intimate access.
The film opens with sweeping shots of the snow-covered Andes, a picturesque setting concealing painful secrets. One of the plane’s passengers, reserved and contemplative Numa Turcatti (Enzo Vogrincic), is just one of many young Uruguayan rugby players stranded in the mountains, far from civilization.
Bayona and co-writers Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques, and Nicolás Casariego connect the story with Turcatti’s perspective for most of the film, playing with the limitations of this decision in interesting ways. Ultimately, no single point of view can capture the full breadth of what they endured.
Bayona seems acutely aware of this idea as he chronicles the events: in instances where Turcatti is not present, events come to life through memories shared with him later on.
In conclusion, „Society of the Snow“ is a gripping and poignant exploration of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity. Bayona’s film offers a fresh perspective on a well-known story, delving deep into the physical and emotional struggles of the Flight 571 survivors. It is a film that challenges viewers to confront the darker aspects of human nature while also celebrating the resilience and strength of the human spirit.