Netflix's newest survival drama "Society of the Snow" tells the harrowing true story of an airplane crash in the Andes mountains in 1972. However, getting director J.A. Bayona's adaptation to the screen took over 10 years. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bayona opened up about the challenges of making a big-budget Spanish language film.
Breaking Barriers for International Stories
Bayona has enjoyed success telling stories like "The Impossible" and "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" in English to global audiences. However, he expressed his desire to shine a light on lesser-known international tales. As Bayona told THR, "the industry can’t seem to absorb big productions that are not in English." Adapting the book "Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors" also held personal significance for the Spanish filmmaker.
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Faithful to the True Events
Bayona was determined to capture the horrific ordeal as realistically as possible. He told IndieWire, "it was like shooting a documentary" on location in the remote Andes. Through intensive research and consultation with survivors, Bayona strived for authenticity in everything from the aircraft debris to the injuries suffered. The director said his goal was, "putting the audience in the middle of that nightmare."
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According to Variety, the success of "Society of the Snow" on Netflix could help open doors for more non-English language blockbusters. As Bayona told Forbes, the streaming platform was fully supportive of the film's scope and vision in a way the studios were not. The director hopes this film will encourage further international collaborations and stories that transcend borders.
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