Inspiring Documentaries

A documentary is a powerful way to make a statement and provide a point of view that while it doesn’t have the glamour of a movie, has the grace of a thoughtful story well told.  While there are many documentaries that I’ve seen that are excellent, here’s a brief synopsis on three that impacted me enough to influence the way I think.  Hopefully you’ll be inspired enough to watch them too!

The Salt of the Earth

Produced in 2014 and by directed by Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, the film follows the life of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado from his time as an economist to becoming a famous photographer after his wife bought him a camera and he discovered his true calling.  The film uses interviews of Salgado, his photos and videos to show the human suffering he saw in South America, Africa and other countries.  His adult son, one of the producers, joins him on some later trips.  It is a compelling documentary and will change the way you think about humanity.  Kudos to Salgado for having the courage to “see”.  Here’s the link to the official trailer.

Oceans

Produced in 2009 and directed by Jacques Perrin, this film explores the ocean and all it’s inhabitants.  There are two different versions: the international version has approximately 20 minutes of additional footage that was cut in the American version – both are good.  It covers all five oceans and shows incredible footage of sea life.  Not only is it educational, but it’s entertaining to watch the sea lions, whales, octopus, sharks, turtles – gees, where do I stop?  It’s a must see documentary!  Here’s the link to the official trailer.

https://youtu.be/WPJsQ6lSdYo

The Civil War Series

Produced in 1990 by Ken Burns, it was recently re-released in 2015 in HD and is comprised of nine episodes.  Yes, we watched it both times!  If you want to watch an unvarnished version of the Civil War, this is the one to see.  As much as possible, the stories of the Civil War are told through photos, paintings, letters, diaries and other documents, putting a first person perspective on the horrors of war, starting with President Lincoln.  For many of us, the horrors of war aren’t always understood because we live a sheltered life.  This brings that all into perspective.  It’s another must-see documentary.  Here’s the link to the PBS website where you can learn more about the series.  Here’s a link to the official trailer.