In Nostalgia for the Light, famed political documentarian Patricio Guzman focuses on Chile’s Atacama Desert, a meeting ground of cultural, spiritual, and scientific importance. The land — once used by Pinochet’s regime to dump the bodies of political prisoners — is the only place on Earth lacking humidity, which makes it ideal not only for the stargazing astronomer but also the artifact-seeking archeologist. Using images and interviews, Guzman creates an ethereal yet powerful portrait which draws connections between the various pilgrims that venture to Atacama seeking answers to unsolvable questions.

Nostalgia for the Light is an Icarus Films release.

(Originally appeared on Flavorpill.com in January 2012.)