A pearl button is found in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile. It is key to the painful history of Chile and its many victims: the indigenous people of Patagonia who have more or less disappeared, the first English explorers and the political prisoners. From the waters of Chile to a sky dotted with mysterious stars, this film tries to give the past its voice back.

Picture gallery

Mixing the story of man with that of the elements, confronting dreams tied to the stars with the nightmare of reality, and reopening the wounds of Chile’s past with a poetic approach: The Pearl Button is reminiscent of Nostalgia for the Light, Patricio Guzmán’s 2010 film, once again proving the Chilean director’s undeniable talent for filming his country and the silent pain of this compatriots. Instead of pathos he prefers the poetic, as illustrated by the ethereal narration and impressive editing that make up a masterful work – it’s no surprise that Guzmán started his career in 1973 working with the iconoclastic Chris Marker on the trilogy The Battle For Chile. Winner of the Silver Bear for best screenplay in Berlin, The Pear Button is itself a precious object, even if his approach and editing are sometimes hard to decipher.