《阿拉亚》是委内瑞拉传奇女导演玛戈·贝纳塞拉芙唯一一部纪录长片,它在拉美影史上占有相当重要的位置,是委内瑞拉民主后第一部获得国际声誉的电影,当年在嘎纳它与阿伦·雷奈的《广岛之恋》共同分享了国际评论家奖,也都获金棕榈提名却最终未果,尽管名气不如《广岛之恋》和《黑人奥菲尔》那么大,但在专业人士眼中此片一直都是研究拉美女性电影所必修的经典,影片出色的摄影时常被人们所赞美,是与卡拉托佐夫的《我是古巴》齐名的诗意电影杰作,法国著名导演让·雷诺阿在看过影片后称赞《阿拉亚》是他所见过最完美的纪录片之一。贝纳塞拉芙就像是委内瑞拉影坛的特吕弗和亨利·朗格鲁瓦,她不仅是第一位毕业于巴黎电影学院(IDHEC)的拉美导演,而且在1966年创办了委内瑞拉电影资料馆,虽然由于资金短缺问题,她个人的导演生涯并不顺利,作品也很少,但却为新委内瑞拉电影的发展成立基金会,并曾获得世界各国的无数荣誉和勋章。转自AUESS的博客资料(http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_497f6a250100cxm0.html)ShownatCannesin1959,theyearafterVenezuela'slastdictatorMarcosPerez-Jimenezwasoverthrown,thedocumentaryinadvertentlyhighlightsthekindofexploitationofthepoorthatcanleadtorebellion.WhilethedictatorescapedtoMiamiwith$13million,saltworkerswerepilingupmoundsofsaltontheflatsands,makingbarelyenoughmoneytokeeptheminarepasandblackbeans.Betweenthehot,tropicalclimateandthesoresontheirfeet,thejobtheseworkersdoeverydayisexcruciating.Yetthelivesofthefishermenandsaltworkersinthisdocumentaryareshowninthecontextofplanned,upscaledevelopment,somethingofadisservicetothelargerpicture.WithnotmuchmakingagreatimpressionthusfarattheBerlinale,MargotBenacerraf'slovelydocumentaryArayacomesasabreathoffreshairfrom1959.ReminiscentofAgnesVarda'sdebutfilmLaPointe-courte(1954)initsartfulbutsomewhatambivilantattitudetowardsfilmingalocalcommunityandtheirworkclearlyadmiredbythefilmmakers,Benacerraf'sfilmfocusesontheinhabitantsofAraya,adesolateareainVenezuelasubsidingthroughalonghistoryonthewealthofitsgreatsaltmarshes.ArayawasoriginallycomparedtoFlaherty'sManofAran,Visconti'sLaTerraTrema(1947)andRossellini'sIndia(1957).MargotBenacerrafhasdescribedthefilmas"acinematicnarrationbasedonscriptwritingratherthanaspontaneousaction,afeaturedocumentary,theoppositeofItalianneorealism"ccc