Society of the Snow: The Potential of Human Hope
Written by Kayla (Kru’23)
Hope is something that differentiates humans from other creatures, a feeling that can’t easily be rid of once you have faith. “Society of the Snow” is based on a true story that took place in 1972, depicting a plane crash in the Andes Mountains involving a group of Uruguayan rugby athletes who struggle to survive within an extremely harsh condition and limited food supplies. This film talks about hope, despair, humanity, and so much more about the human experience. Ultimately, it explores the confusion of choosing between humanity and survival.
For me, it’s a nightmare, a tragedy that is difficult to watch. It’s unbelievable that this actually happened. I cried at the end and felt empty for the rest of that day. All I could think about is how they survived. My respect goes to both the survivors and victims, especially Nando and Roberto. They had the strongest motivation among the others. Despite losing so much, their determination persists — hope, motivied to practice every day to walk past the Andes Mountains, believing that there is sanctuary behind the mountains. When finally they escaped and saw the fields of greenery, it was beautiful. I was so relieved that their beliefs came true.
All the incidents happened one by one, but they still held onto their friendship. They hoped that one day they would be found, even after they heard the news that the search had been called off, or even when they were buried in snow. It’s kind of bizarre how they still had hope. And maybe this feeling of hope stems from the bond they shared, Numa once said
“But I look at Nando and I feel hope”
I firmly believe that feelings are something that can be transmitted unconsciously, which makes me love the friendship that they had even more, the purity of knowing that they had each other’s backs is the reason why they were able to survive together. Arturo Nogueira also said something that echoes in my mind until now.
“I believe in another god. I believe in the god that Roberto keeps inside his head when he comes to heal each of my wounds. In the god that Nando keeps in his legs and that lets him continue walking no matter what. I believe in Daniel’s hands when he cuts the meat. And Fito, when he gives it to us without saying which of our friends it belonged to. That way, we can eat it without… without having to remember their faces. That’s the god I believe in.”
They were stranded for 72 days, enduring suffering as they fought blizzards, injuries, exhaustion, starvation, and the cold. The chaos at night makes me think about what I would do if I were there. And there is none I can think of. That’s what makes me empty. I wouldn’t be able to do anything.
Bayona did a great job delivering the story. The close up of the emotions from each survivor made me really feel what they feel. Also I’m amazed by the beauty of the Andes Mountains. Fun Fact there are shots that were filmed in the actual crash site in the Andes. One thing that comes into my mind is how they introduce each of the characters, which I consider a downside from Bayona. He changes the scene very fast. In the entire film I can’t remember who’s who because there were too many people introduced in a short time. Before I could process the scene, he had already shifted the camera to another person. I mostly only remember Numa, the narrator and the one who broke my heart just by narrating the events of the movie. I love Numa as the narrator because he was able to deliver tons of lines that are deeply meaningful and thought provoking.
Overall I think this movie is beautifully tragic. It gives us an opportunity to reflect about what humanity is. Understanding the genuine essence of human nature in its unadulterated form. The movie also gives one of the most excellent examples of true friendship, acknowledging its importance and of having hope in a difficult situation. Through that, the survivors were able to create a society of the snow.
