A photographer's journey from documenting human suffering to restoring the natural world
In short: The Salt of the Earth is a 2014 documentary tracing four decades of Sebastião Salgado’s career. Directed by Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, the film follows the Brazilian photographer from his early days as an economist to his global travels, capturing both the devastation of humanity and the beauty of nature.
Born in Brazil, Sebastião Salgado fled his home country for political reasons during the late 1960s. Settling in France, he initially pursued a career in economics. His trajectory shifted permanently in 1973 when his wife, Lélia, purchased a camera, sparking a passion that led him to abandon finance for full-time photojournalism and documentary work. The film utilizes his own archives to illustrate this evolution, moving from his initial exile to his extensive travels across Africa, Europe, the Arctic, and South America.
Salgado’s work is defined by a commitment to exposing how global economic markets exploit both human populations and the environment. His lens captured the harsh realities of famine in Ethiopia, the displacement caused by the Rwandan genocide, and the chaos of the Yugoslav Wars. These experiences eventually took a profound toll; after witnessing immense suffering, he became deeply disillusioned with humanity. This crisis of faith prompted a shift in his focus, leading him to seek out pristine landscapes and indigenous communities, such as the Zo'é and the Yali, who maintain ancestral traditions.
The film also documents a personal transformation. Upon returning to his family ranch in Minas Gerais, Salgado and Lélia founded the Instituto Terra. Inspired by Lélia’s vision to reforest the degraded land, the project became a symbol of renewal. This act of environmental restoration provided the catalyst for his final major photographic series, which celebrates the natural world. While critics have noted that the film sometimes sidesteps the complex ethical questions inherent in his work, it remains a highly acclaimed testament, earning a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a nomination for Best Documentary at the 87th Academy Awards.
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