You’ve probably heard of this real-life horror story before, even if you’re not sure where. The tale of plane crash survivors turning to cannibalism to survive has become a sort of cultural reference point ever since it was depicted in the 1993 film “Alive,” which was then parodied on “The Simpsons.” There was also a 2007 documentary, “Stranded” and a 2010 documentary “I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash.” So, what exactly is the Andes plane crash, and what the heck happened to these poor people whose story seems doomed to be forever retold?
Well, “Society of the Snow” takes its cues directly from yet another retelling of the true story: Pablo Vierci’s 2008 book “La Sociedad de la Nieve” (“Society of the Snow”). The nonfiction book tells the story of the 1972 Andes flight disaster, whereby a rugby team from Montevideo, Uruguay, boarded flight 571, a small chartered plane, to Santiago, Chile, alongside friends and family members. Unfortunately, as they crossed the Andes mountain range, the plane descended too low too early and hit a ridge, severing the wings from the fuselage, which then crashed in one of the most remote and inhospitable areas of the mountains.
According to Tudum, 12 passengers died on impact, with several others sustaining severe injuries. The survivors then spent almost two-and-a-half months trying to stay alive in temperatures well below freezing, using the wrecked plane’s fuselage as shelter. During that time, they were faced with an impossible choice: cannibalize the dead passengers or face perishing themselves. The 16 remaining survivors were ultimately forced to eat their deceased fellow travelers before eventually being rescued after 72 days.