Nostalgia for the Light: A 'Documemory' and The Conflict between History and Memory

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the diverse abstract and cinematic approaches that Guzman uses to build an image of the issues in contemporary Chile. I argue that Guzman's documentary investigates the consequences of the dictatorship and the obscurity of constructing a collective memory of the events that happened during and after the coup. In this study, I elaborate on the elements of the film such as sound, evidence, narration, etc. I explore the form and the style as well as the text and the content related choices of filmmaker. Whenever possible the analysis here is supported by a shot by shot or sequential analysis.