Two Directors Delve into the Life of a Singular Photographer Through Their Distinct Lenses

Born in Brazil in 1944, Sebastião Salgado has captured "reality"—death, destruction, and devastation—with his miraculous compositions, often referred to as "the eye of God," and his profoundly beautiful, monochrome photographs. As a photojournalist, he has received numerous awards, including the Eugene Smith Award. In recent years, he has also gained recognition as an environmental activist dedicated to the conservation and restoration of nature.



Wim Wenders, the director behind acclaimed films such as "Wings of Desire" and masterful documentaries like "Buena Vista Social Club" and "Pina", had long been captivated by Salgado's work. In "Sebastião Salgado: The Salt of the Earth," he collaborates with Salgado's eldest son, filmmaker Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, to explore the photographer's extraordinary life and his "GENESIS" project, which has been a recent focus, through their respective perspectives.

The film has garnered international acclaim, including the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at last year's Cannes Film Festival and the César Award for Best Documentary this year. It is set to premiere in Japan this summer.

Salgado's "Letter of Love to the Earth," Discovered After Gazing into the Darkness of Humanity

Salgado has consistently focused on humanity, exploring fundamental themes of death, destruction, and decay. However, the sheer intensity of his travels eventually took a toll on his spirit. Consequently, he shifted his artistic direction and, since 2004, has been engaged in the "GENESIS" project, conceived around Darwin's journey.

His camera has captured the raw beauty of places where life and death intersect at the extremes, including the Galapagos, Alaska, the Sahara Desert, and the Brazilian rainforest, all of which remain on Earth.

What did the man who relentlessly confronted human darkness find at the end of his suffering? Salgado describes "Genesis" as "my letter of love to the Earth," presenting a breathtaking visual epic of the planet from a bird's-eye view.


© Sebastião Salgado © Donata Wenders © Sara Rangel © Juliano Ribeiro Salgado