The Salt of the Earth (2014)

The life and work of photographer Sebastião Salgado, who has spent forty years documenting deprived societies in hidden corners of the world.

Directors:

Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders

Writers:

Wim Wenders (film by), Juliano Ribeiro Salgado (film by)

Stars:

Sebastião Salgado, Wim Wenders, Lélia Wanick Salgado

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 12 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Sebastião Salgado	...	Himself - Photographer
Wim Wenders	...	Himself - Narrator
Lélia Wanick Salgado	...	Herself - Sebastião's wife and collaborator
Juliano Ribeiro Salgado	...	Himself / Narrator
Hugo Barbier	...	Himself
Jacques Barthélémy	...	Himself
Régis Muller	...	Himself
João Pessoa Mattos	...	Himself
Leny Wanick Mattos	...	Sebastião's Sister-in-Law
Maria Teresa Salgado Rocha Bastos	...	Herself
Rodrigo Ribeiro Salgado	...	Sebastião's Son

Storyline

For the last 40 years, the photographer Sebastião Salgado has been travelling through the continents, in the footsteps of an ever-changing humanity. He has witnessed some of the major events of our recent history; international conflicts, starvation and exodus. He is now embarking on the discovery of pristine territories, of wild fauna and flora, and of grandiose landscapes as part of a huge photographic project which is a tribute to the planet's beauty.

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Plot Keywords:

starvation | rwandan genocide | funeral | massacre | humanity | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving disturbing images of violence and human suffering, and for nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

France Brazil Italy

Language:

French English Portuguese

Release Date:

27 March 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

La sal de la Tierra

Filming Locations:

Yalimo, Papua, Indonesia

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$44,900, 29 March 2015

Gross USA:

$1,343,349

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,412,189

Company Credits

Production Co:

Decia Films, Amazonas Images, Solares Fondazione delle arti

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title of the film is a biblical reference, Matthew 5:13: 'You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.'

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Quotes

Sebastião Salgado - Photographer: To think that these three-month-old trees will reach their apex in 400 years. Perhaps from there we could try to grasp the concept of eternity. Maybe eternity is measurable.

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Connections

Featured in The Oscars (2015)

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Soundtracks

Black Kuwait Fire
Written by Laurent Petitgand
Performed by Laurent Petitgand

User Reviews

A both intellectually and emotionally appealing journey through photos

Living in an age where Hollywood seems to believe that churning out CGI-promoted explosion orgies is the only recipe for success, this quiet documentary about the career of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado may disappoint some audiences. Basically you only get to see the Salgado's photos and Salgado's face commenting them and telling the stories that are lurking behind. Most of the movie is made in black and white. The effect could not have been greater. Not only are the viewers stunned by the visual brilliance of the pictures and their monumental qualities but they also learn a lot about the tragedies of famines and genocides that took place in Africa in the 1980s and 1990s. To be honest, these tragedies of unbelievable scope are widely forgotten in the western world. Salgado leads us into the darkest heart of humankind where absolute folly and chaos reign instead of rational judgment. Graduating as an economist, Salgado embarked on a decades-long journey as a photographer, investing all the money of his young family in professional equipment. I think it is unjust to consider him someone who makes his living by showing the misery of mankind, like some reviewer has suggested. If Salgado hadn't been there and clicked his camera, we would not have these photos now which give testimony to what really happened in Africa or Kuwait. Just think about the risks that the young father took on when he was travelling through famine-starved desert or civil war-torn regions! Apart from that, this fine documentary does not leave behind its audience in desperation; Wim Wenders deliberately ends this homage on a harmonious chord by showing a successful reforestation project in Brazil which was initiated by Salgado.