Salt has antiseptic properties and is used many times in the Bible. The addition of salt to sacrifices signifies the eternal covenant between God and man (Lev. 2:13; Hu 18:19). The "salt of the earth" ( Le Sel de la terre ) is from Matthew 5:13: "You are the salt of the earth, and if the salt loses its taste, what shall be used to make it salty again? It is no longer useful, and has to be thrown away in Outside, let people trample on it." People are the salt of the earth, but if they lose their salty taste, how can they be blessed?
This film is not just a biography of a man written in light, but perhaps a "witness" of a man who is sincere, upright, and full of love for mankind. Perhaps, as the believer said, he was a divine messenger, sent to the world to observe people's words and deeds.
After documenting the Rwandan genocide, Sebastian was unsure of his identity because the "Writing Light" seemed too powerless in the face of atrocities, and the human beings he observed or witnessed wounded his soul. "There is a beast that is extremely brutal and terrifying, and that is us - humans. Whether in Europe, Africa, Latin America, or even the world, this crime is everywhere. Humans are the symbol of true extreme violence." From "Exodus" back to the final layout of "Genesis", perhaps the director and Sebastian hope that the picture of human history will be drawn.
"After all, humans are the salt of the earth."
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