"Songs of Salt" (Bazoni, 2026) - Review (Femme Filmmakers Festival)

The focus on ordinary people is a real strength of this film, and the beautifully shot atmosphere makes it a completely captivating watch.

Written by Andie Kaiser

Isabella Bazoni’s Songs of Salt is a beautifully shot documentary short that aims to spotlight the beach workers of the Riviera Romagnola in Italy. Framed by the EU legislation that threatens the longstanding ownership/management system of these beaches, the documentary focuses on several of the families and individuals who are grappling with the potential loss of their livelihood. 

The informative nature of this documentary is complemented by a wonderfully entertaining style, which is established right away. Upbeat music and recurring use of mixed media montage (photos from throughout history are spotlighted in these moments) are attention-grabbing in all the right ways, and the arrangement of the photography provides some truly stunning visuals. I loved the way it moved seamlessly between current-day interviews with beach workers, fishermen, and other individuals, and these moments of history. Not only was this a visual treat, but it really made the documentary feel unique and caused the ten-minute runtime to fly by.

The short knows that testimonials from those at the heart of this issue are its most powerful tool, and so it lets these areas shine. Voiceover often accompanies the beautifully shot images of the beach itself, explaining the importance these areas hold for those who have built their (mostly family) businesses on the tourism that comes into the area. The uniqueness of this model is highlighted at one point, as we hear that "Elsewhere, they don’t have the same way of welcoming people as we do in Romagna."

With all of this, there is a fear underlying the otherwise peaceful atmosphere of the film, as the very real threat of replacement by "big brands" looms large. If the family business model were to be replaced, the unique experience for tourists would be replaced with a standardized one, and those who built their lives around this community would be suddenly pushed out. As one worker states, "For me, this isn’t just a job. It’s my life, my way of being in the world."

While the film doesn’t provide a lot of background context or additional information about the legal circumstances (and it doesn’t claim to, acknowledging upfront that the issue extends beyond the scope of this documentary), it gives us a window into a place we might otherwise remain unfamiliar with. The focus on ordinary people is a real strength of this film, and the beautifully shot atmosphere makes it a completely captivating watch.

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