Released in 2013 and directed by horror filmmaker Eli Roth, The Green Inferno is a controversial and gut-wrenching film that plunges viewers into the heart of the Amazon jungle. The plot follows a group of student activists who travel to Peru to save an indigenous tribe—only to be captured and terrorized by the very people they came to protect. With its graphic violence and disturbing realism, audiences often ask: Is The Green Inferno based on a true story?
The answer is no, The Green Inferno is not based on a true story, but it is heavily inspired by real-world tribal cultures and 1970s Italian cannibal films, particularly Cannibal Holocaust. Roth crafted a fictional narrative that feels terrifyingly plausible due to its documentary-style presentation and exotic setting.
The Film’s Origins and Inspirations
Eli Roth has openly acknowledged that The Green Inferno is an homage to the Italian “cannibal cinema” subgenre of the late 1970s and early 1980s, most notably Cannibal Holocaust (1980) directed by Ruggero Deodato. In fact, the title The Green Inferno is a direct reference to an alternate title considered for Deodato’s infamous film.
While Cannibal Holocaust was falsely marketed as a snuff film and led to legal action against its director, Roth took a more cinematic but equally visceral approach in his film. He set out to shock modern audiences in a way that questioned the boundaries between activism, privilege, and primal survival.
Fictional Story, Real-World Setting
Although The Green Inferno features a fictional tribe and storyline, Roth filmed in remote regions of the Amazon with the participation of real indigenous communities. The villagers cast in the film reportedly had never seen a movie before Roth showed them Cannibal Holocaust to explain the genre.
The tribe depicted in the movie is fictional and not based on any specific indigenous group. However, the concept of isolated Amazonian tribes still exists in reality. Some groups in the Amazon remain “uncontacted” or voluntarily isolated, and their way of life is a topic of anthropological interest and debate. That said, the depiction of cannibalism in the film is entirely sensationalized and not representative of any known modern Amazonian tribe.
Criticism and Cultural Backlash
The Green Inferno was heavily criticized for its portrayal of indigenous people as violent and barbaric. Many critics and anthropologists accused the film of perpetuating outdated colonial stereotypes and exploiting native cultures for horror entertainment. Eli Roth defended the film by saying it was a satire on “slacktivism” and Western savior complexes, rather than a statement on indigenous communities.
Still, the extreme content and ethical implications sparked debate among viewers and professionals alike.
Final Verdict
So, is The Green Inferno based on a true story? No, the film is a work of fiction designed to shock and provoke, inspired by exploitation cinema rather than real events. While it uses real locations and actors from isolated regions, its plot and portrayal of tribal cannibalism are entirely fictional and should not be mistaken for anthropological truth.
