Where was The Snow Society filmed? Disaster filming locations in the Andes explained

Netflix hit from director JA Bayona Snow company is an accurate retelling of the historic 1972 plane crash in the Andes, which is why the locations are a particularly important part of the final film. Bayona and his team have carefully prepared the project. In an interview with Netflix (via IBC), Bayona announced that he was determined “…stage this story as it should be: in the original language, in the places where it happened and with the ambition with which we approach the project.“

However, despite Bayona’s commitment to authenticity, the remote location simply made it unrealistic to film the entire movie at the crash site. This meant that the production team had to find a way to capture the remoteness of the event in a way that was manageable for the actors and crew. The resulting engagement means that Snow company uses multiple locations to tell its story from where the actual story took place.

Sierra Nevada, Spain

The scene of the accident

Considering the nature Snow companyIn the incredible true story, perhaps the most important aspect of the entire film was finding a location that accurately reflected the harsh reality of the crash site. Despite several trips to the real Valley of Tears, director Bayona concluded that the team should recreate the setting in a more accessible location rather than filming directly on location. The option they chose was the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Granada, Spain.

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While the end result is surprisingly realistic, there was a lot of deception behind the scenes to make Spain a stand-in for South America. First, there was no snow during filming in the Sierra Nevada, so the crew had to use a combination of materials such as polymer and cellulose to achieve the desired effect. Most of the film was shot outdoors in this artificially simulated snowy landscape, using an elaborate set with elements such as the crashed plane. The team also built a set 7,000 feet up in the mountains to better film some of the storms and indoor scenes (via IBC), so the Sierra Nevada mountains are essential for production.

Although the team didn’t use the real Andes in most of the film’s scenes, the Sierra Nevada mountains still presented their own problems. According to Bayona (via daily screen), “It was difficult… It’s very impressive to see the size of these mountains, but they are very difficult to photograph. You’re deceiving your eyes… Sometimes you have to move the camera a little to give the impression that it’s tilted.“These challenges show that any location for a production, even if it does not travel to a place as inhospitable as the authentic Valley of Tears, can reach such a location. Snow company present their difficulties.

Montevideo, Uruguay

Carrasco Airport, rugby opening, other locations

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Although the majority Snow company Since the film is set on the infamous slopes of the Andes, many of the film’s opening scenes were filmed on location in Montevideo. All scenes featuring the families of accident victims were set in the Uruguayan capital, emphasizing the authenticity that permeates the film. Given Bayona’s commitment to telling the story faithfully, it makes sense that Montevideo was used for these key scenes, rather than a city more associated with big-budget cinema.

Andes, Argentina and Chile

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Although it was unrealistic to film the entire movie at the crash site, Bayona and his team still used the real Andes Mountains in addition to their primary location in the Sierra Nevada given the dangers. In fact, the expert combination of images from the real location with the artificial setting in Spain was integral to the entire project. To achieve this, a second unit was moved to the Andes in Chile and Argentina.

This second unit, led by Alejandro Fadel, filmed dramatic aerial footage in August 2021 to capture the extent of the desert where the survivors found themselves and accurately document the actual crash site, making the entire film more authentic. These images were then projected onto large screens on the film set in Spain, involving the actors and crew to create a truly immersive and realistic experience (via the vanguard). This means that the real Andes can be seen everywhere. Snow companyalthough many scenes contain images of two completely different locations.

Sources: IBC, daily screen, the vanguard