Margot Benacerraf: Why Don't We Know Who You Are?

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Araya
(1959)
Actress unknown but this astounding documentary
about a South American village with
a salt mine was  directed by
Margot Benacerraf 

HOW GOOD WAS IT?

Compelling, compassionate, convincing story of
community spirit with shadows lurking everywhere.

But at no time are your emotions ever played with.
All you see on the screen are facts of life.

The "actors" engage in utterly noble human 
and naturally choreographed movement.
The "actors" are dozens of fisherman
and able-bodied women and children
of all ages.

Araya  is a  subtitled but succulent story.

Were it to be in German, you would have sworn 
it was directed by  Leni Reifenstahl.

Were it to be in English, you would have sworn 
it was directed by  Orson Welles! 

I will guarantee that Orson Welles
knew the work of  Benacerraf.


Two months ago,
Araya was broadcast on TCM,
hosted by Eleana Douglas
when she featured only films
directed by  Trailblazing Women. 

   
Obviously, the two images herein
were not handpicked from  Araya's image page
but photographed–with limited skill–
while watching the film.

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