Cielo

NEW DOCS

Enter a wondrous exploration of the meeting of heaven and Earth in this dynamic exchange between humans and the starry skies above Chile’s Atacama Desert and Andes Mountains. Spectacular photography by cinematographer Benjamin Echazarreta brings us into an upward gaze as if we, too, are there, soaking in the beauty. Filmmaker Alison McAlpine interjects in parts with a poetic narration that contemplates the mysticism of sights above and the significance of people she encounters on the land below. Various portraits emerge: A practical astronomer speculates on how the human priority should be fixing the abundance of problems on Earth; a husband and wife argue about the definition of gravity and whether the Earth is flat; another man matter-of-factly describes his sightings of apparitions he expects have always been part of this world. McAlpine’s inquisitive journey profoundly transcends the typical narrative-driven cinematic story, in a lovely ode to people and the heavens.  KR

Director

Alison McAlpine

Producers

Alison McAlpine, Paola Castillo, Carmen Garcia

Editor

Andrea Chignoli

Cinematographer

Benjamin Echazarreta

Release Year

2017

Festival Year

2018

Country

Canada, Chile

Run Time

78 minutes

Subtitled

Yes