“The Salt of the Earth” (2014)

Featured Documentary of the Month - “The Salt of the Earth” (2014)

By Wild Frontier Society | February 28, 2025

Welcome to Featured Documentary of the Month, a new corner of the Wild Frontier Society blog where we spotlight films that capture the wild, raw pulse of our planet—and the souls brave enough to chase it. Each month, we’ll unearth a documentary that speaks to our love of adventure, wilderness, and the untamed edges of existence. For our first pick, we’re diving into The Salt of the Earth (2014)—a stunning tribute to photographer Sebastião Salgado, whose lens has framed the wild’s beauty and brutality like few others. Directed by Wim Wenders and Salgado’s son, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, this film is a perfect launch for our journey together.

Into the Wild Through a Lens

Sebastião Salgado isn’t just a photographer—he’s a frontiersman of the soul. For over 40 years, he’s trekked the globe’s harshest corners, from the Amazon’s dripping jungles to Ethiopia’s sun-scorched plains, capturing humanity and nature in raw monochrome. The Salt of the Earth traces his odyssey, weaving his black-and-white masterpieces with the story of a man who’s seen the wild’s glory and its wounds up close. At Wild Frontier Society, we’re all about that spirit—pushing into the unknown, gear in hand, to witness what most only dream of.

Salgado’s work hits home for us. His images of wildlife—like jaguars stalking through Brazilian undergrowth or penguins dotting Antarctic ice—echo the thrill of adventure and wildlife photography we’ve been geeking out over in Gear Lab. His shots aren’t staged; they’re earned through sweat, patience, and a deep respect for the wild. The documentary stitches these visuals into a narrative that’s as much about the land as the man behind the lens.

Wilderness in Black and White

The film’s heartbeat is its visuals—Salgado’s photos flicker across the screen, each frame a portal to places untouched and unforgiving. There’s a sequence in the Amazon where he camps with the Yali people, his camera catching their lives amid towering trees and muddy rivers. It’s pure Wild Frontier Society—the kind of trek where your boots sink, your pack weighs heavy, and every snap of a twig could be a story. Another moment takes us to the Arctic, where he frames walruses hauling out on ice floes, the chill practically seeping through the screen.

Wenders and Juliano don’t shy away from the dark either. Salgado’s seen famine, war, and ecological scars—like the burning oil fields of Kuwait, smoke choking the sky. It’s a gut punch, but it’s real. His words haunt: “I’d seen so much brutality that I almost lost faith in humanity.” Yet the wild pulled him back. The film’s final act shows him rewilding a ravaged Brazilian ranch, planting trees with his wife, Lélia—a redemption arc that mirrors our own drive to honor and protect the frontier.

Why It’s Our Pick

The Salt of the Earth isn’t just a film—it’s a call to the wild that Wild Frontier Society lives for. Salgado’s gear (think Leica and Nikon rigs) and grit tie straight into our Gear Lab love affair with cameras and boots that can take a beating. His journey from despair to hope reflects the explorer’s heart we’ve been chasing in Livingston’s Saga. And at 110 minutes, it’s a meaty dive into the wilderness—perfect for a night when you’re plotting your next escape.

Grab it on Amazon Prime, Vimeo, or wherever you stream your wild fixes (we’ll hook up links soon!). Pair it with a whiskey by the fire, and let Salgado’s lens remind you why we roam.