Beijing, Mar 10 (EFE).– “The 33,” the story of the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for more than two months, has arrived in Chinese theaters along with one of the capsules used to save them.

The capsule, painted in the blue, red and white colors of the Chilean flag, was made by the Chilean navy to rescue the miners and will be on display in Beijing.

“The 33,” presented by the Chilean Embassy in Beijing, is a Chilean-American co-production directed by Mexican Patricia Riggen.

The film tells the story of the miners trapped 700 meters (nearly 2,300 feet) inside a mine in San Jose for 69 days in 2010.

“Chile does not hold many titles … but, according to calculations, 1 billion people followed the rescue of the trapped miners. It was an extraordinary moment,” Chilean Ambassador Jorge Heine said at the film’s screening Thursday.

The movie will be shown at 10,000 theaters across China, thanks to Yunnan Film Group, which financed part of the project; however, CEO Lun Zhang refused to reveal the exact amount invested.

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas plays Mario Sepulveda, the “Super Mario” who acted as leader of the group and became famous for his composed transmissions from inside the mine once they managed to establish a connection with the outside world.

The ambassador praised the efforts of the miners – 32 Chileans and a Bolivian – in overcoming their challenges and surviving, as well as a rescue effort that has become a “fascinating” case study.

Many countries, including China, whose Sanyi Group provided machinery, participated in the rescue effort and it was an example of great success in international cooperation, Heine added. EFE