J.A. Bayona’s “Society of the Snow,” a strong contender for a nomination in the Academy Awards’ best international feature category, has rapidly become one of Netflix’s most successful non-English language films. Following its debut on January 4, the Spanish film has achieved remarkable milestones, securing its place in Netflix’s Top 10 of most-watched titles and boasting an impressive 51 million views within just 11 days.
Notably, “Society of the Snow” now holds the 10th spot on Netflix’s list of biggest non-English language films, a feat achieved in a fraction of the time compared to other titles on the list. The film’s viewership compares favorably with last year’s German film “All Quiet on the Western Front,” which won multiple Oscars and BAFTAs.
In terms of hours watched, the film’s first four days on Netflix were only surpassed among non-English films by Norway’s “Troll,” with views outpacing even Spain’s “Nowhere.” Both of these films later claimed the top spots on Netflix’s list of most popular English-language movies ever.
“Society of the Snow” owes its success to positive word-of-mouth, Oscar buzz, and favorable reviews. It has achieved a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes and has secured a place in Netflix’s Top 10 in 93 countries, including France, Germany, the UK, Brazil, Mexico, and the U.S.
On the awards front, the film is making waves, having been longlisted for the film not in the English language category at the upcoming BAFTAs. It is also shortlisted for the Oscars in several categories, including international feature film, makeup & hairstyling, original score, and visual effects. The film previously won the Audience Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival and is nominated for 13 Goya Awards, with two European Film Awards under its belt.
As the film continues its strong performance in various award ceremonies, questions loom about its potential to secure an Oscar win and whether a successful Oscar run could propel it to become the biggest non-English language movie ever on Netflix. The coming months will likely determine the film’s place in streaming history.
