We descend from the clouds, an angel’s point-of-view guiding us through what was once the childhood home of Patricio Guzmán. It’s been over 40 years since the director left Chile, around the same time Pinochet came to power. Nothing about the Cordillera is revolutionary — it’s a veritable time machine with over 20,000 years of culture packed into them thar hills — particularly when comparing the chain of mountain ranges to the era in which he grew up. Normally in a film such as this, as long as the camera focuses on the majesty of the surroundings and not the interview subjects, it’s a joy to behold. But Guzmán has given us more than just talking heads. The artists, sculptors, volcanologists, and other witnesses that testify all feel a responsibility for their country’s beauty. When they speak, what comes out of their mouths is sheer poetry. (2019) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.