The Atacama Desert in Northern Chile is the driest desert on Earth, which makes it an astronomer's paradise. With perfect climate and geography, and minimal light pollution, it's an ideal place to observe and research celestial bodies. Through masterful cinematography, the skies in the desert are captured in breathtaking detail. While the observations of the filmmaker guide us through our inevitable existential questioning, we meet astronomers, residents and travellers who live and work in the desert, all of whom share a deep connection to the place. Their stories and poetry touch upon the physical and metaphysical, as we bear witness to an enigmatic place rich with history and folklore. Striking the perfect balance between poetic reflection, myth, existential query and science, the film invites us to gaze up at a dazzling, star-studded sky and marvel at our place in an infinite, unknowable universe. Mariam Zaidi

Co-presented with Women in Film & Television – Toronto (WIFT-T).