Nostalgia for the Light
2010 · Movie · 93 min · ★ 7.4 · 96% critics
In Chile’s Atacama Desert, scientists scan the night sky for clues about the origins of life while, nearby, women comb the sand for traces of relatives taken during a brutal dictatorship. The film links cosmic exploration with an intimate search for truth and remembrance.
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Details
- Original title
- Nostalgia de la luz
- Years
- 2010
- Release date
- 2010-10-27
- Language
- Spanish
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Critic score
- 96/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.4/10 (169 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a reflective documentary that connects science, memory, and human rights through quiet observation; Not for you if you prefer fast pacing or lighter themes, like Hidden Kingdoms.
Pros: haunting desert setting; thoughtful human stories; big existential questions | Cons: slow, meditative pace; heavy historical subject; minimal action
Themes
- chile
- astronomer
- genocide
- desert
- astronomy
- archeology
- political prisoners
Awards & recognition
- European Film Award — Best Documentary · 2010
- European Film Award — Best Documentary · 2010 · nominated
Cast & crew
- GG
Gaspar Galaz
as Himself - Astronomer
- LN
Lautaro Núñez
as Himself - Archeologist
- LH
Luís Henríquez
as Himself
- MI
Miguel
as Himself - Architect
- VG
Victor Gonzalez
as Himself - Engineer
- VS
Vicky Saaveda
as Herself
- VB
Violeta Berrios
as Herself
- GP
George Preston
as Himself - Astronomer
- VR
Valentina Rodríguez
as Herself
Directed by Patricio Guzmán