Movie in Chile

We watched a compelling movie recently, a timely introduction to the far north of Chile where we will end our visit.  Nostalgia for the Light is a documentary by Patricio Guzmán, which takes place in the Atacama Desert, the driest place on the face of the earth.

It is a film about searching.  Astronomers are searching for answers about the origins of our galaxy, using the enormous telescopes constructed to probe the reaches of the universe.  At the same time women sift through the desert sands trying to find the remains of their loved ones imprisoned in Pinochet’s concentration camps.  

In this other-worldly beautiful place, the emotions of both groups of people are palpable as they go about their quests.  The exquisite photography makes it all the more meaningful.