《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（）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".
