The Chilean Dictatorship on Screen: Nostalgia for the Light (2010) and No (2012)

Mariana Cariñena Machado, Paula Díaz Santos & Gabriel Villaveces Galofre (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid)

The long dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile triggered a colossal trauma in both the country and its inhabitants. Throughout his 17 years of power (1973-1990), the nation endured the disappearance of people, deaths, and tortures, ultimately leading to the adoption of a new constitution that persists to this day. It can be said that thanks to these and many other reasons, Chile is not the same country it was before the dictatorship. However, the remnants of that former nation are subtly conveyed in the art of Chilean directors such as Patricio Guzmán and Pablo Larraín. They both offer different perspectives on what the dictatorship entailed, its significance, and how it has evolved in the present day.

In Nostalgia for the Light (2010), Patricio Guzmán offers a poetic perspective on the Chilean dictatorship. In this documentary, Guzmán attempts to draw connections between forgotten memories in the Atacama Desert, where two vastly different groups seek to uncover the past. On the one hand, the desert, with its clear skies, has become a haven for the country’s astronomers, who explore the cosmos in search of a universal past. On the other hand, there are the desolate sand plains where the so-called “Atacama women” sift through the sand, searching for the remains of those who disappeared and were tortured during the Pinochet era. The concept of a “blackout of representation” (López et al, 2021) following the dictatorship is examined from the perspective of both extremes within this space. The various members of these groups are interviewed and observed while carrying out their jobs, serving as a means of reflection and a warning that forgotten events can repeat themselves.

No (Pablo Larraín, 2012) offers a fictionalized, yet historical perspective on the subject. Although it focuses on examining the political and social context of the time, the film narrates the story of the 1988 referendum that successfully ousted Pinochet and the campaign behind it, without aiming to provide a completely accurate portrayal of historical events (Howe, 2015). Through this film, Larraín not only delves into the historical backdrop but also raises profound questions about the power of citizens against oppression. This fictionalized representation, albeit grounded in real events, allows viewers to immerse themselves in the political struggle and citizen resistance of that era. Larraín encourages audiences to contemplate the role of propaganda and citizen participation in social transformation.

“As ‘History decomposes itself in images’ (Benjamin et al., 1999),” both films reconstruct this decomposition into a modern perspective of Chile’s past, demonstrating how Chileans were affected by change. This video essay, originally created for a Moving Image History class at UC3M, analyzes Larraín’s No and Guzmán’s Nostalgia for the Light, comparing them and aiming to unearth the lost memories that both directors and the Chilean population endeavor to reclaim. These cinematic works offer a glimpse into the past while providing room for reflection and action, emphasizing the significance of collective memory in constructing a more just and honest world.

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