Las Hurdes / Land Without Bread

While watching this documentary it becomes obvious that shots are set up. And you become unsure as to how much of this film is truth and how much is made up. But, despite that fact, you know that the film maker is trying to expose some truth, so it still lends a sincere feeling of sympathy for the people. But did Luis Brunuel hire actors or did he do a sort of Nanuk thing by directing actual peasants?
During the film you start questioning the film makers true intent if the story is really true. Is he trying to help these people or is he trying to get famous off their misery. First off, the sick girl that they passed by and soon died. They could have helped her, taken her with them, but instead she died alone. After all, the film said she had a bad sore throat. Did he want her to die in order to make his film better? Or did he just make the whole thing up? It seems to brutal to be true.
But also, those poor animals. That was NOT faked. Luis Brunuel wanted to show every animal that died in narration actually dieing in real life. It doesn't cross your mind at first but then your intrigued by how he got such a good shot of a goat bouncing down a rocky cliff and going splat at the end. A perfect birds eye view. I went online and sure enough... that poor goat... funny... but that poor goat. Also, the donkey he had men cover in honey and stung to death by a zillion bees so he could get it on film to match narration. Luis was not very nice to animals so it makes you wonder what kind of conscience this man has and whether he can be trusted. Indeed this films leaves you questioning whether to laugh or sypathize.

Stephen H.P. Wright