LOS ANGELES – A new Netflix movie is set to release on Jan 4, recounting the incredible survival story of Roberto Canessa and his teammates, who survived a plane crash in the Andes mountains in 1972. Canessa, now 70, has dedicated much of his life sharing the details of this harrowing experience, and he is pleased to see it told once again in the upcoming film. He believes that the story holds important messages for future generations.
The movie, “Society Of The Snow,” directed by J.A. Bayona, focuses on the trials and tribulations of the young, amateur rugby team as they struggle to survive after their plane crashes in the frozen, high Andes. The film’s title and story are based on a book by Uruguayan writer Pablo Vierci, which collected the testimonies of the survivors.
Canessa reflects on the pact that the survivors made when they realized that they had been left behind by civilized society. The group was left to their own devices in order to survive, resorting to drinking their own urine and consuming the flesh of those who had perished in the crash.
The survivors endured 72 days in the Valley of Tears, enduring harsh conditions, infected wounds, and deadly avalanches. Despite the odds stacked against them, Canessa and his friends persevered through the unimaginable hardships, eventually trekking across the freezing mountains to safety.
The plane crash, which took place on the Argentine side of the Andes, resulted in the deaths of several individuals, including the pilot. Those who survived huddled together in the plane’s fuselage, braving freezing temperatures and desperate conditions until they were finally rescued.
The incredible story of survival in the face of unimaginable odds continues to be a source of inspiration, reminding future generations of the strength of the human spirit and the resilience of the human body.