The Salt of the Earth

You may not have heard of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, but you can’t help but walk away from this documentary of his life and work without feeling like you know him. This absorbing documentary from filmmaker and environmentalist Wim Wenders and Salgado’s son, Juliano, focuses on Salgado’s passionate desire to document the human condition, especially exploitation and starvation, around the world. But it film evolves as Salgado’s camera honed in on environmental themes later in his storied life. His own words often provide the film’s commentary. Trained as an economist, Salgado fell in love with the camera during frequent travels to Africa, a love affair that lasted more than 40 years until his death in 2025. The screening will be hosted by the El Paso Community Foundation’s Cultivate Forum, which focuses on food systems and sustainability. — Doug Pullen