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, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado

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:

humanity | starvation | rwandan genocide | wildlife photography | nature photography | 

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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, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,343,349

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,402,761

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

In regard to his photograph of a gorilla putting its finger in its mouth, Sebastião Salgado states in the film that it is recognizing its own image for the first time after seeing the reflection of the lens. However, studies have shown that gorillas probably can't recognize themselves in mirrors.

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Quotes

Sebastião Salgado - Photographer: We are a ferocious animal. We humans are terrible animals. Our history is a history of wars. It's an endless story, a tale of madness.

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Connections

Featured in The Oscars (2015)

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Soundtracks

Genesis
Written by Laurent Petitgand
Performed by Laurent Petitgand

User Reviews

Le Sel de la Terre

The lines on his head were deep as the lines of the earth...

Wim Wenders' new masterpiece is a visually stunning lesson about our planet and our lives. We, the people, are both the salt and the scorch of the Earth...

Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and Wenders have made a thoughtful emotional journey through the life and work of the famous photographer Sebastião Salgado. Both his personal and professional journeys are depicted through the photographs of the talented humanist. The adventurous journey is becoming a discovery of the human nature and after that of nature's condition. A masterful revelation this picturesque travel envisions the marks which we leave on our planet and the traces which we imprint during our stay here.

It is important to note that the overall feeling of this movie is beautifully embodied by the soundtrack as well. And this feeling is surreal - a deep voyage into darkness and light - into the power of drawing with a camera. As a photographer too, I am once again amazed how a single picture can foretell, tell and commit to a certain topic. A person, a landscape, an overall feeling - this is what we get from this film.

Intricately constructed and simplistically presented, the meaning behind these shapes and colors is not ambiguous - we are the spice which could make the Earth both a better and worse place. It is very interesting to see this whole story told in French. I felt a certain feeling mystery and wisdom throughout the whole narrative. And although some scenes were striking, one can only feel humility watching this.

I strongly recommend that every photographer, who is striving to create, should see this movie. This documentary is very much a universal message of the ever repeating cycle of anger - despair - hope. This honorable look at the artist and his power which can transform people and nature is mesmerizing. As a conclusion I truly hope that we can learn from our mistakes and not repeat them all over again. Because when you immerse your soul into the soil, you cannot stay away from the imminent introspection which comes after that...