J.A. Bayona Explores Untold Stories in New Netflix Series Beyond the Society

Following the success of J.A. Bayona’s survival drama ‘Society of the Snow’, Netflix is set to revisit one of the most renowned survival tales in modern history. The streaming platform has announced a new three-part documentary series titled ‘Beyond the Society’, which will delve into the aftermath of the survivors of Uruguayan Flight 571 upon their return home.

Created by Bayona and Carlos Torres, this new series is scheduled to premiere globally on Netflix in 2026. Unlike the behind-the-scenes documentary that accompanied ‘Society of the Snow’ in 2024, ‘Beyond the Society’ will concentrate on the years following the tragedy, examining how the survivors and the families of those who perished coped with its lasting effects.

‘Society of the Snow’ became one of Netflix’s most significant international successes after its release. The Spanish-language film garnered positive reviews from both audiences and critics, becoming one of the platform’s most-watched non-English films. It reportedly achieved 98.5 million viewing hours within its first 91 days on Netflix and remained in the global weekly top 10 for 12 weeks.

The film’s success has brought renewed attention to the real events surrounding Flight 571, which crashed in the Andes mountains in 1972. While the original narrative highlighted the remarkable survival of the 16 individuals rescued after enduring 72 days in extreme conditions, ‘Beyond the Society’ will explore the emotional journey that unfolded after their rescue.

Netflix’s description of the series indicates that surviving the crash was merely the beginning of another challenging chapter. The documentary will investigate how the survivors rebuilt their lives, how the families of the deceased managed their grief, and how the world responded to their story through various books, films, and documentaries.

The series will feature new interviews with survivors and relatives of the victims, along with discussions with individuals who have chronicled the story over the years. This includes author Piers Paul Read, who wrote ‘Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors’, writer Pablo Vierci, whose book ‘Society of the Snow’ inspired Bayona’s film, filmmaker Frank Marshall, who directed the 1993 movie ‘Alive’, and Bayona himself.

One of the most poignant aspects of the project occurred when Bayona and members of the ‘Society of the Snow’ cast visited the actual crash site in the Andes, known as the Valley of Tears. For many actors, this was their first visit to the location where the real events transpired.

According to a statement from Netflix, Bayona revealed that the concept for the documentary emerged from that impactful trip. “The idea for ‘Beyond the Society’ came about when we decided to travel to the Valley of Tears with the cast of the film. None of the actors had been there, and we felt it was the best way to close a very important chapter of our lives and to thank those who trusted us to tell their story.”

He further noted that the visit altered the team’s perspective on the connection between the real survivors and those who portrayed their story on screen. “There, we realized the extent to which the true story and the people who lived the tragedy were already intimately interwoven with those of us who had created the fiction.”

Netflix has also provided an early glimpse of the documentary, showcasing Bayona and the cast traversing the snowy Andes landscape. The visuals highlight the challenging conditions of the location and the emotional return to the memorial site honoring the victims.

‘Beyond the Society’ is produced by Belén Atienza, Sandra Hermida, and J.A. Bayona. The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026.

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