Herbert J. Biberman, 1954, 110 min.
In English and Spanish with English subtitles
Screening followed by a discussion with Nico Baumbach and Doyne Farmer
View a recording of this event here
Salt of the Earth (1954) is considered the only film blacklisted in the United States, facing intense censorship and suppression during the McCarthy era due to its anti-racist, pro-labor, and feminist themes. Directed by Herbert J. Biberman, one of the infamous “Hollywood Ten,” written by Michael Wilson, and produced by Paul Jarrico—all blacklisted Hollywood artists due to alleged communist ties—the film itself became a political battleground during the height of McCarthyism. It was subject to intense censorship and suppression by the U.S. government, the FBI, and the Hollywood establishment, actively working to prevent its completion and distribution, leading to a widespread ban in the country, though it found acclaim and success abroad.
Despite severe pressure, this award-winning team, working in close collaboration with the miners it depicted and included as actors, created one of the most compelling family dramas of the 1950s, and an extremely rare portrayal of a working class community.
Set in New Mexico’s Empire Zinc mine and filmed on location, Salt of the Earth tells the story of Mexican-American workers who strike to protest hazardous working conditions and unequal pay compared to their Anglo coworkers. When a court injunction bars the men from picketing, the women boldly take their place on the front lines—challenging both the mining company and the entrenched gender norms within their own community. Inspired by Italian neorealism and filmed on location with striking naturalistic detail, the 1954 drama cast mostly non-professional actors, including actual miners and their families.
View trailer here.
The Hollywood Ten is a 1950 American short documentary film. Shot in 16mm, it was created quickly to raise public awareness and legal funds for the ten blacklisted screenwriters and directors who comprised the "Hollywood Ten" who faced prison sentences for contempt of Congress stemming from their non-cooperation with the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).
View trailer here.
Nico Baumbach is Associate Professor of Film in the Columbia School of the Arts. His research and teaching focus on critical theory, film theory, documentary, and the intersection of aesthetic and political philosophy. His first book Cinema/Politics/Philosophy was published by Columbia University Press in 2019. He is currently working on a book titled The Anonymous Image.
Doyne Farmer is the Baillie Gifford Professor of Complex Systems Science at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, and External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. He grew up in Silver City, New Mexico, where the miners' strike on which Salt of the Earth is based took place, and has always been fascinated by the film’s history.
These screenings are part of Columbia Maison Française CENSURED FILM SERIES - FALL 2025.
Event Details & Important Information
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