More than a billion people watched the developments in 2010, when it became known that in Chile, 33 miners were buried alive at a depth of about seven meters. After 69 (!) days before rescuers could get to them. However, all the miners survived. And another miracle: more than 20 miners have dedicated their lives to Christ during this ordeal. Now their story comes to the big screen. Starring film “the 33” — Antonio Banderas and Lou diamond Phillips.
Every year at work killed 12 thousand miners. And, it seemed, the case will result in another disaster when in August 2010, 33 Chilean miners descended into the mine in San Jose. On mine there was a cave, walled up the miners. With this began the story of this miracle, and also the film “the 33”, made in Chile and deep in the mines of Colombia.
Hero Banderas — Mario Sepulveda, who received from his colleagues the nickname “Super Mario.” What is it about him that allowed him to believe, when others were ready to give up?
“He’s not used to give up, he is a man of faith, and he’s crazy! And this “madness” is contagious. He knew it,” says Antonio Banderas.
American actor Lou diamond Phillips plays the role in the movie the mountain master of the don Lucho.
“I realized that I wanted to participate in this film, as soon as I heard that he was going to shoot,” says the actor. And adds, I was moved by the spirit of the miners.
“Many call themselves believers, but in fact, when it comes down to it, your faith is being tested. I think that’s the great thing about faith. Untested faith may not even faith, but only an empty phrase. And these people were tested. And not only they, but also their families,” says Lou diamond Phillips.
During these events, families of the miners set up tents near the mine and has put pressure on the Chilean government. Their camp they called “Hope”. The winner of the award “Oscar”, the French actress Juliette Binoche plays Maria Segovia, the sister of one of the miners, who headed the camp.
“I read the script, and faith Mary Segovia gave me faith, says Juliette Binoche. — These women are strong! The family was furious because I didn’t received any information, and because no one monitored the security. All of this was unfair, and when the law is not respected, we need to demand justice. Maria Segovia was orphaned at the age of six. She raised her brothers and sisters. She very early began to earn by selling on the street, meat pies, which itself was baking… at the age of 14 got pregnant…”
Rodrigo Santoro is the representative of the Chilean government. By the time of the accident, he held the post only four months. How could he cope with all this?
“Could he? It’s a great question. He could, because he was a help,” says Laurence Golborne, the role of the Minister the mining industry.
Among those assistants were NASA engineers who are equipped with a rescue capsule camera and sound equipment to communicate with miners. In the film used a replica of the capsule “Phoenix”. In it, the miners were lifted out of the ground from a depth of about seven hundred meters — one at a time, after they were immured there for almost seventy days.
“It was really a matter of life and death, and they did not give up,” recalls the Chilean official Rodrigo Santoro.
That could be the end of the story of the miners, was the beginning of an even better life with faith and family. These men are not just colleagues. They are brothers. CBN news followed them during a visit to Israel, where they marched in the footsteps of Jesus and was baptized in the Jordan river.
Although this story doesn’t seem funny, but the film is laugh a lot.
“Laughter was crucial, says Antonio Banderas. And now, when you talk with them, they constantly make fun of each other, and this is a very hard, rough jokes, they do not spare each other. For them so fun to watch. They are a very lively team and even play football together.”
Javier bolaños — producer of “Mundo Cristiano”, a Spanish version of “Christian World news”, which aired throughout Latin America. He was the first journalist who took the interview with the man who led the miners to Christ. And he recently spoke about the spiritual battle waged by his team to tell this story.
“CBN news, and our Spanish “Mundo Cristiano” were the first media representatives who have taken interview with Jose Henriquez, miner Christian, whose colleagues have called “Pastor”. To this end, we went to Chile a few days after the rescue of the miners, though, and had no confirmation that he will give us an interview — says Javier bolaños. Jose said that while they were trapped in that mine, he to all his colleagues helped to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. So, after the interview I returned to the capital Santiago, to mount and send the material, but then the hotel had stolen my laptop and hard drive with all the footage, including interviews. Thank God, my cameraman kept a copy of the interview, and we were able to send it to the editor”.