Podcast 230: The 33

Movie Title: The 33
Release Date: August 6, 2015 — Chile; November 13, 2015 — U.S. theatrical release
Runtime: 127 minutes / 2 hr 7 min
Director: Patricia Riggen
Screenplay Written By: Mikko Alanne, Craig Borten, and Michael Thomas; story by José Rivera
Based On: The real events of the 2010 Copiapó mining disaster, when 33 miners were trapped in Chile’s San José Mine for 69 days. Some sources also connect the film to Héctor Tobar’s nonfiction book Deep Down Dark.
Is it a remake?: No.

Main Cast:

Antonio Banderas as Mario Sepúlveda
Rodrigo Santoro as Laurence Golborne
Juliette Binoche as María Segovia
James Brolin as Jeff Hart
Lou Diamond Phillips as Luis “Don Lucho” Urzúa
Mario Casas as Álex Vega
Adriana Barraza as Marta
Kate del Castillo as Katty Valdivia
Cote de Pablo as Jessica
Bob Gunton as President Sebastián Piñera
Gabriel Byrne as André Sougarret
Jacob Vargas as Edison Peña
Tenoch Huerta as Carlos Mamani
Juan Pablo Raba as Darío Segovia

Budget:

Estimated $26 million.

Box Office:

Domestic: $12,227,722
International: $15,744,301
Worldwide: $27,972,023
Domestic opening weekend: $5,787,266 from 2,452 theaters
Domestic distributor: Warner Bros.
Earliest release: August 6, 2015, in Chile

Awards:

Heartland Film: Winner, Truly Moving Picture Award.
Cinema for Peace Awards: Nominated for Most Valuable Film of the Year.
Imagen Foundation Awards: Patricia Riggen received recognition connected to The 33; sources list Best Director recognition for Riggen.
Major Oscar / BAFTA data: Insufficient verified data for nominations or wins.

Short Plot Summary:

In 2010, a collapse at Chile’s San José Mine traps 33 miners deep underground with limited food, water, and no contact with the surface. Above ground, families gather at “Camp Hope” while engineers and government officials attempt a complex rescue. Underground, the miners struggle to survive physically and emotionally as their hope fades. The film dramatizes the real 69-day rescue operation that became an international news event.

Key Quotes:

“That’s not a rock, that’s the heart of the mountain. She finally broke.” — Mario Sepúlveda
“I believe we will make it out of here because I choose to believe it! All 33 of us!” — Mario Sepúlveda
“We’re running out of time!” — Laurence Golborne

Trivia

Director:
- Patricia Riggen directed the film; she is a Mexican filmmaker whose earlier work includes Under the Same Moon and Girl in Progress.
- Riggen said the production chose to film in a functioning mine instead of relying only on a soundstage because the story’s scale and physical environment were difficult to fake convincingly.
- Riggen described the shoot as unusually demanding: the crew spent 35 days filming in mine conditions, often working 14-hour days, six days a week.
- The film was released in Chile around the five-year anniversary of the mine collapse.
Cast / Casting:
- Antonio Banderas plays Mario Sepúlveda, often referred to as “Super Mario,” who became one of the public faces of the real miners through video messages sent from underground.
- Lou Diamond Phillips plays Luis “Don Lucho” Urzúa, the shift foreman who helped organize the miners during the crisis.
- Gabriel Byrne plays André Sougarret, the engineer who helped lead the rescue operation.
- Bob Gunton plays Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, and Rodrigo Santoro plays Mining Minister Laurence Golborne.
- The film uses an international cast, including actors from Spain, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, France, Ireland, and the United States.
Soundtrack / Score:
- The score was composed by James Horner.
- The 33 was one of Horner’s final film scores; he died in June 2015, before the film’s U.S. release.
- The film’s closing song, “Gracias a la Vida,” was performed by Cote de Pablo.
Location:
- The story is set at the San José Mine near Copiapó, Chile, and at the family encampment known as Camp Hope.
- Production filmed in the Atacama Desert in Chile and in two mines in Colombia.
- Riggen’s interview notes emphasize that the underground scenes were shot in difficult real-mine conditions to help the cast understand the physical reality of miners’ work.
Behind-The-Scenes:
- The film was produced by Alcon Entertainment and Phoenix Pictures.
- Producer Mike Medavoy worked with the miners, their families, and people involved in the rescue to help bring the story to film.
- The 33 was the first film to receive the Colombian Film Commission’s production incentive, which included rebates for film services and logistics spending in the country.
- Riggen said the mine environment caused real production challenges, including difficult air, cold conditions, no bathrooms, and no food allowed during long shooting stretches.
- The underground lighting approach relied heavily on helmet lamps; Riggen said the cinematographer choreographed actors so their headlamps would light one another during scenes.
Nostalgia:
- The real rescue was watched globally and became a major “whole world is watching” moment in 2010.
- The film recreates the media attention surrounding the rescue, including the families’ vigil at Camp Hope and the final capsule extraction.
- The story remains tied to the real-life image of all 33 miners emerging alive after 69 days underground.
Easter Eggs:
- Insufficient verified data for intentional film Easter eggs.
- The movie does include direct references to real rescue details, including the miners’ rationing of limited food and the use of video communication once contact was made.
Misc:
- The Spanish-language title is Los 33.
- The film’s Chilean premiere was attended by cast members, several of the real miners, former President Sebastián Piñera, and former minister Laurence Golborne.
- In Chile, the film opened with about $1.57 million and grossed about $4.94 million, according to Box Office Mojo territory data.
- Rotten Tomatoes lists the film at 49% Tomatometer from 152 reviews and 59% audience score from 10,000+ ratings.
- Some box-office totals differ slightly by source. Box Office Mojo currently lists $27,972,023 worldwide, while Wikipedia rounds the total to about $28 million.