A quietly reflective and poetic meditation on time and distance, Nostalgia for the Light travels 10,000 feet above sea level to the Atacama Desert – the driest place on earth. With an almost translucent sky, the desert provides the perfect home for astronomers to observe the spectacular stars and sights in our universe. However, the desert also harbours a chilling secret as the climate preserves human remains, including pre-Colombian mummies, 19th century explorers and miners, and political prisoners who disappeared after Pinochet’s rise to power in 1973.
This pensive and moving documentary follows three groups of people: the female relatives of the prisoners who sift through the sand for traces of their loved ones; archaeologists uncovering traces of ancient civilisations; and astronomers who examine distant galaxies. A deeply personal and visually stunning film.