When Hollywood handpicks its stories from the miles of column inches that every day deliver global news to our front doors, the resulting movie can be a heavy-hitting drama, an upbeat quirky comedy, or a survival tale of man’s unrelenting optimism. The latter has inspired a story headed to the big screen that originated from an actual event which occurred in 2010 in Chile.
For The 33, director Patricia Riggen brings together a sizeable cast to tell the story of a clutch of workers trapped inside a Chilean copper mine following a cave-in. Five years ago the global community was captivated by the story, and thankfully, 69 days later all of the miners were returned safely to their families. As real-life adaptations go, the premise is ripe with opportunity for tension, drama and the type of histrionics that ensure Oscar gold.
Antonio Banderas, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, Gabriel Byrne, Juan Pablo Raba and Kate del Castillo head up the cast of miners and family members. And based on their efforts in the first trailer – which debuted on the Chilean 20th Century Fox YouTube page – The 33 will be a heart-wrenching path to glory, paying its respects to those brave souls who rallied on against all odds.
Currently, the movie has no US release date on the calendar, but it will open in Chile on April 6, 2015.
Based on the real-life event – when a Chilean gold and copper mine collapses, a rock twice the size of the empire state building traps 33 miners a mile and a half underground for 69 days. The miners struggled through starvation and depression as their families fought to keep rescue teams searching for them, culminating in the unprecedented and miraculous rescue of all 33 men. A journey to hell and back, the story is taught with suspense and full of tenderness, as well as an unforgettable cast of characters.
