The upcoming Netflix movie “Society of the Snow” is set to release on January 4th, depicting the tragic story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which crashed into the Andes Mountains in October 1972. The film explores the harrowing experience of the survivors who were left resorting to desperate measures for 72 days until their rescue. Reflecting on their ordeal, one of the survivors, Roberto Canessa, shared his thoughts on the upcoming film.
Canessa, now a 70-year-old pediatric cardiologist, revealed that watching the movie was not easy for him as it brought back memories of the crash. The film takes viewers to the actual site of the crash, recreating the conditions and locations where the real-life events took place. Director J.A. Bayona emphasized the authenticity of the film, filming at the same place and time of year as the crash.
The survivors of the initial crash created a crude shelter in the fuselage of the plane, using broken seats to close off the open end. They faced extreme conditions on the snowy mountaintop, with little food and no natural vegetation or animals to hunt. Only 16 of the original 45 passengers survived the 72 days before being rescued.
In order to survive, the passengers made the unthinkable decision to consume the bodies of their deceased companions. Initially, they could only bear to eat the skin, muscle, and fat, but as their supplies diminished, they resorted to harvesting organs from the corpses preserved by the cold. The survivors later revealed their pact and compared their actions to those of Jesus at the Last Supper during a press conference held after their rescue.
The film also explores the emotional and psychological toll the experience had on the survivors. Canessa, who lost 97 pounds during the ordeal, describes the torment and soul-searching involved in consuming the flesh of his companions. The survivors were eventually rescued after 10 days when two members of the group, Canessa and Nando Parrado, hiked for miles to find help.
The story of the Andes plane crash has been told before, most notably in the 1993 film “Alive,” but “Society of the Snow” aims to provide a more immersive and authentic portrayal of the events. Canessa’s reflections on the film highlight the lasting impact the experience had on him and how it shaped his life and career.
Overall, the upcoming Netflix film “Society of the Snow” offers a gripping and emotional exploration of the 1972 Andes plane crash and the extraordinary lengths the survivors went to in order to survive. It sheds light on the resilience and courage displayed by these individuals in the face of unimaginable circumstances.
