It was such an interesting and moving experience to watch and learn about The Pearl Button, so I’m very glad I got to share it with the class. In order to depict the tragedy of Chile’s Indigenous people and the crimes done against them, the film skillfully combines memory, history, and nature. The way Guzmán connects the land, the people, and the suffering they went through by using water as a symbol and a lens to examine Chile’s past particularly touched me.

The cinematography caught my attention the most. The lengthy, lingering shots of the water and the Chilean coastline in particular were deliberate and poetic. In one clip in particular, Guzmán demonstrates buttons that are submerged underwater and explains how the Pinochet regime disposed of political prisoners by throwing them into the sea on rails. I was devastated by that scenario; it was very haunting. One of the few surviving Kawésqar ladies gave a moving account of how her people used to navigate the seas in balance with the environment. Her story felt so urgent and sacred because of her voice and the expansive sea images. The movie made me think about how much Indigenous voices have been silenced or disregarded and truly opened my eyes to a past I didn’t know much about. It also got me to thinking about how memories are stored in land and water, and how cinema may assist relive those experiences. I hope it inspired my peers to value the significance of the tales being delivered beneath the stunning images. All in all, I’m glad I was able to show the class this movie. It serves as a reminder that documentaries can be artistic creations that are simultaneously strikingly beautiful, incredibly educational, and emotionally stirring. Guzmán makes us feel history rather than only depicting it.