When I look at the sky at night, I see… hardly that much at all. But in the case of Alison McAlpine, she is able to discover much more than the eye usually sees, in a place that’s not usually very populated. A desert out in Chile, specifically the Atacama Desert. The views out there at night are breathtaking, the sky is truly an amazing show for the desert and its inhabitants. The residents who share their stories are a wide variety of different types of workers ranging from planet hunters to algae collectors, and there’s even a miner as well. The array of scientists tell different stories from many perspectives, but they all discuss the same topic, the wondrous sight of the sky.
This is one of the most extraordinary documentaries I have seen, while there are a lot of sky shots, they’re extremely well shot and professional looking. The interviews are genuine and really well arranged. Hearing from all these individuals gives you a good strong sense of what lifestyle is like out there for the residents. This is a movie you have to see in theatres to truly get the amazing outlook of. It just works so much better when it’s on a large screen right around you, you get better notice of the millions of tiny details. It’s sad how many countries deal with light pollution and can’t see something as amazing as this. But still, after watching this, people might start looking at their night skies more often.
Cielo is looking into making it in theatres all around Canada, so be on the lookout if you’re in these areas. Current dates w/ locations are Toronto’s TIFF Bell Lightbox and Montreal’s Forum on August 10th, Bytowne in Ottawa on the 15th, our town’s own Vancity Theatre on the 17th, The Cinematheque in Winnipeg (not Vancouver, sadly) on August 25th, and finally August 31st at the Metro in Edmonton. The view is a cinematic experience that should not be missed. In fact, I might just have to give the sky a better view and consult that dusty astrology guide I never used since Grade 4. Maybe I’ll be able to notice more than Orion’s belt for once…
