Green Desert

Synopsis

"How can a healer’s lineage survive without the forest?"

Chile’s Maule region, once a lush sanctuary of ancient oaks and rich vegetation, is now covered in endless pine trees. Planted for the timber industry, these monotonous crops are non-native, parched for water, and simply waiting for the next wildfire.

In this documentary, which also incorporates elements of performance art, Venegas searches for the mountain wildflowers of her childhood, bringing memories of the forest back to life through the stories of her family's women.

The film pairs a moving commentary on environmental destruction and ecological grief with a story of climate change that remains, at its heart, an intensely personal and poetic journey.

Director Biography

Meliza Luna Venegas

Visual artist, filmmaker, and educator. Her work combines performance, sculpture, installation, and essay film to explore the links between landscape, memory, and territory. She is currently completing her feature Desierto Verde, awarded by the Cineteca Nacional. Her work has been shown at the Bienal de Artes Mediales, MAC, Galería Metropolitana, and other cultural venues in Chile.

Credits

Cinematography / Sinematografi

Ignacio Igna Martinez, Cristina Daza

Editing / Kurgu

Melisa Miranda, Macarena Ortiz

Music / Müzik

Santiago Jara

Sound / Ses

Pablo Pinto, Romina Cano

Production / Yapım

Isabel Orellana Guarello (Araucaria Cine), Vestigio Cine