Araya

"Araya" is a documentary that transports viewers back to the 1950s, highlighting the lives of the salineros who toiled in an ancient natural salt mine situated within a northeastern Venezuelan peninsula. The Spanish discovered this salt mine five centuries prior, and despite modernity's progression, the laborers still relied on manual methods to extract the valuable resource. This poignant film offers a visual exploration into the salineros' daily routines, as well as their archaic techniques that would eventually become obsolete with the advent of industrialized extraction. Through its captivating footage, "Araya" offers an insightful glimpse into the intersection of tradition and change, as well as the human spirit's ability to persevere in the face of evolving industry.