“Araya” was originally released in 1959 and came to earn acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival winning the International Critics Prize and earning a re-release this year at the Berlin Film Festival where it can now be rediscovered by a new generation of cinema-goers. This film is a beautifully shot documentary showing the struggles and the triumphs of a group of people that lead a life of harsh conditions an unceasing work in the salt marshes of Venezuela.

“Araya” is more than just a black and white slice-of-life piece. This movie shows how even in the most desperate conditions man (and woman) can survive and even flourish. The peninsula of Araya was discovered by the Spaniards in the 1500’s and quickly became known for its immense wealth of salt, and little else. Everyone from pirates, slave-traders, and smugglers came to Araya to trade, plunder, mine the gold of that period which was salt.

“Araya” the film focuses on a twenty-four hour period in the lives of three families as they go about their respective jobs in their societies. Whether they are salt miners, fishermen, housewives, or children, everyone in every family has an important job to do that is integral to not only the survival of their own family, but their way of life as well. The film also highlights the monotony of the typical day of these people. Everything they do somehow contributes to survival. And while at times they make their work look effortless (and for some reason I believe that a little bit of this is lost in translation given the black and white film. It somehow makes the work less real, or distant. It lacks the vividness of the “now” that is color, which we take for granted as a miracle of modern film), it can be seen on their weathered faces the years of toil they have done to come away with the meager living they have.

The film is beautifully restored from its original 35mm print and with the exception of unfortunately light colored subtitles (not so bad in darker scenes, but in the harsh daylight scenes they are almost impossible to discern), the transfer looks great. The film is unflinching in its documentation of these people, who subsist on nothing more than salt and fish. Both are used to eat, and for currency. They slave day and night for little pay (up to 50 cents per basket of salt, with a good day coming in around 70 baskets). The children are not exempt from work, and the women and elderly are integral parts of their society. The music tries very hard to get you in the moment, but instead comes off like a cheesy sci-fi flick from the 50’s (which makes a little sense given that this movie was released then). The last scenes show modern man encroaching on their way of life with large machines capable of doing a lot of the work that is done by hand. It leaves you with the question fo whether or not these people can survive in a modern world, and if they do how will their simple way of life change? And will it be for the better?