The Salt of the Earth – Docufilm

The Salt of the Earth (2024) is a biographical documentary directed by Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado that chronicles the life and work of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado. Over a span of 40 years, Salgado traveled across continents capturing powerful black-and-white images that document human suffering caused by war, famine, and displacement, as well as the beauty of natural landscapes and traditional communities.

The film explores Salgado’s transition from an economist to a photographer, sparked by his wife’s gift of a camera, and his commitment to using photography as a means to expose exploitation and injustice driven by global economic systems. It highlights his harrowing experiences documenting famine in Ethiopia, refugees of the Yugoslav Wars and Rwandan genocide, and the environmental and human toll of industrialization.