Araya

Shown at Cannes in 1959, the year after Venezuela's last dictator Marcos Perez-Jimenez was overthrown, "Araya" won the prestigious International Critics Prize at the festival. Margot Benacerraf's unflinching documentary highlights the exploitation of thepoor. While Perez-Jimenez escaped to Miami with $13 million, salt workers were piling up mounds of salt on the flat sands, making barely enough money to keep them in arepas and black beans. Glowing cinematography, powerful story and the director's passionate love for the culture make this a must-see.