My best film in 2023
As I mentioned previously, I wanted to dedicate an exclusive post to what has been, for me, the best movie of 2023. And not just for me—it’s also in the top 10 of the most viewed non-English language films in the history of Netflix in just 11 days.
Moreover, as if the above weren’t enough, recently, the Goya Awards were held in Spain. For those who are not familiar, the Goyas are prestigious awards given annually by the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain. Well, at the 2024 gala held on February 10th, this movie swept the awards, winning not just any awards but 12 Goya Awards for Best Picture, Special Effects, Sound, Adapted Screenplay, Best New Actor, Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Art Direction, Original Music, Production Design, and Editing.
And it’s no wonder—according to its director, J.A. Bayona, who confessed that it took them 10 years to shoot this movie as they wanted. The biggest challenge was the weather, as it couldn’t be otherwise for a film shot in the snowy mountains. If you haven’t guessed what movie it is yet, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. It’s:
La Sociedad de la nieve (2023) (Society of the Snow)
It’s a Spanish drama film based on the book Alive! by Piers Paul Read. The film tells a real story, and I emphasize that the events are real, about the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in the Andes in 1972 and the survivors’ struggle to survive.
Some curiosities about the filming are that although the real story takes place in the Andes, for close-up shots, Sierra Nevada (Granada, Spain) was used. Also, in the story, the real survivors of the 1972 crash and their relatives appear, playing various supporting roles. The movie’s images are absolutely faithful to reality as the survivors took photographs that were later reproduced in the film. Lastly, this film has been, to date, the most expensive to produce in Spanish cinema, with a budget of 60 million euros.
I’ll leave you with the official trailer. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, I still recommend watching it in the original language with subtitles.
Nothing I say here will make you feel even the slightest of the anguish and strength of this masterpiece of cinema, which could almost be considered a documentary rather than a movie because of the faithful reality it reflects. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s available on Netflix. A good way to keep all your subscriptions organized is to use the Stremio program. If you haven’t heard of Stremio yet, here’s an installation and usage guide for you to enjoy:
