Society of the Snow, directed by J. A. Bayona, was recently released on Netflix. It shows the precise events of the 1972 Andres flight incident, making the location of the movie important for the authentic delivery of the plot.
Bayona was determined, he said, that he wanted to direct the story in the manner as it was meant to be, in its original language, in places where all of it happened, and it was this ambition with which they approached the project.
Irrespective of Bayona’s commitment, filming the entire movie in all the real locations was not possible because of the remote locations.
It means that the cast and crew, alongside the production team, have to find a way to recapture the essence of those places more conveniently for the equipment and actors. In this article, we’re going to take a look at all the filming locations of the movie.
Sierra Nevada, Spain
Filming for the movie began in Spain, in the Sierra Nevada region, which is a hilly region. The term refers to a mountain range covered with snow and is located in the Andalusian province of Granada.
With a peak elevation of 11,414 feet above sea level, the director knew this would be a perfect place to use for filming.
Preserving authenticity was crucial, and it was simply impractical to film the entire film in the Andes, the site of the actual accident; therefore, an alternative had to be found to replicate the scene without really endangering the actors and crew. But J.A. Bayona was going to see to it that he had some video footage from the exact scene of the collision.
Montevideo, Uruguay
Many of the opening scenes of Society of the Snow were shot in Montevideo, even though the majority of the film is set in the well-known Andean foothills.
The fact that the scenes featuring the accident victims’ relatives were all filmed in Uruguay’s capital city only serves to heighten the film’s genuine feel.
It makes sense that they decided to film these crucial moments in Montevideo rather than a city more well-recognized for producing big-budget motion pictures, as Bayona is committed to presenting the tale authentically.
Andes Mountains, Argentina, and Chile
The risks prevented Bayona and his crew from filming the entire film at the accident site, but they did incorporate the genuine Andes in addition to their primary Sierra Nevada setting.
Creating a smooth transition between genuine site video and the artificial set in Spain was a major aspect of the production. The film was shown on large screens within the Society of the Snow sets.
According to Lavanguardia, this encircled the performers and crew to give them the impression that they were fully submerged in a true encounter. Although the Society of the Snow used videos from two distinct locations, fans can identify the genuine Andes.
Budget of Society of the Snow
The Hollywood Reporter claims that the production of the film Society of the Snow came at an astounding cost of €65 million, or around $70 million. They spent a solid 138 days filming, visiting locations such as Sierra Nevada, Uruguay, and Madrid.
The fictionalized story of Society of the Snow is based on the actual 1972 Andean disaster of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. Sadly, 29 of the approximately 45 passengers aboard the aircraft did not survive.
Who wrote Society of the Snow?
Jaime Marques, Nicolas Casariego, Bernat Vilaplana, and J. A. Bayona penned Society of the Snow. It was adapted from Pablo Vierci’s novel of the same name by an author and journalist from Uruguay.
Vierci would be involved in every step of the movie’s creation, serving as an associate producer and seeing a large portion of the shooting, which included a visit to the set at the real accident site.
Who produced and directed the Society of the Snow?
The film’s director, J.A. Bayona, is a name you may be familiar with from prior theatrical releases, like A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Impossible, and The Orphanage.
J. A. Bayona, Sandra Hermida, and Belen Atienza were the feature’s named producers. In preparation for filming, Bayona visited the accident site in the Andes, where a monument had been erected. Society of the Snow is streaming on Netflix.
