'The 33' Digs Deep Into Faith, Personal Stories of Miraculous Chilean Miners
As an actor portraying one of the 33 men buried alive, Phillips shared his thoughts on how filming in actual mines had a profound effect on the cast.
"We were smeared in dirt and sweating, and didn't have to imagine being in that oppressive atmosphere; it was literally at our fingertips as we were making the film. I won't go so far as to say we endured anything close to what those miners did — we could go home and shower at the end of the day. They were there for 69 days," he said. "But being down there gets into your pores and into your being, and it put us in the proper mindset. It wasn't a leap to respect what miners do."
More than entertaining audiences, "The 33" aims to help the real-life 33 men who were trapped in the mine five years ago, many of which still struggle emotionally and financially today and have no alternative but to continue working in dangerous mines. However, Phillips hopes the film can impact their lives.
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"Many suffer from PTSD. For them, this is a part of the healing and I hope it can bring some money into their pockets," Phillips said.
Regardless of the movie's financial or critical outcome, "The 33" producer Mike Medavoy said miners have already felt the film's impact.
"Miners cried when they watched the movie and saw their sacrifice," Medavoy told CP.
Banderas says this emotional rollercoaster of a film ultimately says a lot about love.
"To fully understand this story, you have to see both the down and the up — what happened in the mine and what happened above. When you get the whole picture, it says so much about love and the value of individuals," he said. "It's a celebration of life. Miners today still think that what happened to them was a miracle."
"The 33" hits theaters Friday. For more information about the film, visit http://www.the33movie.com/
