Snow Community and the Climate Challenge Behind the Film
Juan Antonio Bayona pursued a truthful portrayal for Snow Community by incorporating scientific guidance to shape the story. The goal was to mirror a harrowing reality: a group of thirty players experiencing dramatic weight loss within months, a scenario drawn from the infamous 1972 Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crash in the Andes. The depiction aligns with the historical tragedy while grounding it in verifiable details.
The production team also refined shooting schedules and integrated climate and meteorological insights from the crash site. The Valley of Tears, set on a glacier that has receded by roughly 60 percent since 1972, was designed to resemble its appearance from five decades ago, with careful attention to minimizing environmental impact and avoiding sensationalism.
Doctors Antonio Escribano and his son, both from Cordoba, worked on chronologically adjusting the body compositions and weights of the 30 players, aged 18 to early 20s, to reflect the experiences of the crash victims. Initially, the cast resembled robust athletes; over the first weeks of filming they shed nearly 30 pounds each. This transformation was planned to be rapid yet safe under the demanding shoot conditions.
“The challenge was to coordinate the weight changes for thirty actors, not just one or two, and to achieve a convincing shift under extreme filming conditions of freezing temperatures,” explains Escribano Sr. in an interview. The emphasis was on health and performance, not just appearance, throughout the process.
Biochemical Scenarios and Individualized Plans
Escribano arrived in Barcelona in October 2021 to begin a rigorous testing phase with the cast. They conducted comprehensive body composition analyses to map fat and protein levels, performed a full range of metabolic assessments, and ran functional tests on oxygen use and endurance. This data fed a set of 30 distinct biochemical scenarios that aligned each actor’s look with the film’s schedule and narrative needs, a process that involved reviewing roughly 7,000 pages of materials.
From late 2021 through early 2022, the medical team crafted personalized nutrition plans aimed at building muscle and enabling controlled weight changes. The actors gained 3 to 8 kilos at the outset to resemble athletes preparing for competition, then shifted toward gradual, significant weight loss as filming demanded. The goal was to reflect the gradual, realistic decline in physical condition without compromising health or performance.
Between February and May, the priority shifted to substantial weight loss, ranging from 20 to 30 kilos, while still meeting the demands of production. Some episodes required losing about 4 kilos in three days or maintaining stability over two weeks without risking well-being. This delicate balance was central to preserving the actors’ cognitive function, memory for lines, and emotional authenticity on camera.
Managing Hunger and Palate Comfort
Filmmakers created a makeshift clinical space in a hotel room near the Sierra Nevada where the crew spent much of the shoot. The catering team collaborated with nutrition professionals to tailor meals to each biochemical scenario. Most of the cast hailed from Argentina, so dishes were chosen to suit their tastes while remaining low in calories. Menus included lean empanadas with light pastry, a variety of low-calorie soups for dinners, and treats such as chocolate-flavored jellies and low-fat yogurts. Aimed at hunger management, these options avoided triggering intense cravings while supporting the actors’ needs on camera.
The overarching concern was not just rapid weight change; it was ensuring the actors could memorize lines and convey the required emotion without compromising brain function or overall health. To support this, nutrition plans incorporated supplements tailored to each actor, featuring essential vitamins along with minerals like selenium, zinc, and iron. The objective was to sustain vitality and focus throughout production.
Addressing the Impact of Climate Change
While most exterior scenes were filmed in Granada, the Valley of Tears scenes were shot on location in the Andes, where the climate realities were more severe. In October 2021, during a visit with climbers and production staff, the team encountered a starkly different landscape from fifty years prior: a near lack of snow and a brown, sun-bleached terrain. This observation highlighted climate change in action and shaped subsequent planning for the shoot.
As the glacier continued to shrink and snow cover dwindled, climatologists noted a substantial reduction in winter precipitation. The valley had lost a significant portion of its snow, altering light and texture on the landscape. A second filming window was scheduled for August 2022, chosen for its alignment with the southern winter and a safer window for recreating the film’s iconic snowy sequences. The team photographed and staged scenes with a white backdrop that mirrored the original crash site, while acknowledging that real snow depth differed from the historic tragedy.
Experts emphasized that had the accident occurred in a more recent year, snow availability could have been insufficient to cover the central area of the wreck or preserve victims’ remains. The careful planning ensured the narrative was historically faithful while mitigating real-world risks to cast and crew.