Tag: subject

directed by Camilla Hall & Jennifer Tiexiera

Documentary is a very specific film genre. Some people don’t want to watch them because they’re stereotypically considered boring, which may be fair as their role is to present a piece of reality and in the end we go to the cinema to escape it. Some others watch them to expand their knowledge on the world and learn the perspective of someone/something else within approximately 2 hours. Personally, I’m a huge fan of documentaries because I get to see things I may never be able to see with my own eyes and thanks to the filmmakers I actually can. Today’s recommendation is also a documentary, but quite different from the ones you might have seen. Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera, the directors, decided to put a spotlight on the subjects of documentaries, meaning the people who have been portrayed in numerous productions. You don’t have to have a big experience in watching this concrete genre to understand the point, but if you do watch documentaries, you may spot many familiar faces and shots. How are documentaries even made? First, we learn about some event or person that is worth examining further. Then, we either have time to work on the screenplay or simply grab a camera and start shooting, depending on the circumstances. Finally, we edit the film and release it. What happens next is simply out of our control, even if we’re the filmmakers. What I mean by that is you never know how popular your work may become. Perhaps it’ll be seen by your family members and a small group of friends, but maybe it’ll win the main award at a prestigious festival and ends up being the most watched documentary in the world that year. Que sera, sera, right? And when you’re a filmmaker, it’s your conscious decision to produce such piece and take the responsibility of whatever comes next. However, have you ever wondered what happens to the subjects of documentaries when they go viral? Today’s film is exactly about that. The ladies let us hear the voice of people who are the subjects of certain documentaries and they share their perspective. I have to admit that I never reflected about it as I was always admiring documentaries as pieces of art and sources of information. But what about those ordinary people who later have to carry the weight of publicity on their shoulders? When you’re a cinema person (actor, director) and they make a documentary about you, perhaps it’s not easier, yet somehow it’s rather inevitable in your profession to stay anonymous. However, in most documentaries, we get to see ordinary people who later become public figures and they are completely unprepared for that. I don’t want to share too much because I believe it’s best for you to watch this film and hear it from the “subjects” themselves. Still, this documentary really opened my eyes and made me feel slightly disturbed about the fact that I’m a documentary fan. Is it even right for me to like such productions knowing how much damage it may cause to certain people? On the other hand, as long as I’m not a hater and I don’t wish to hurt anyone, that’s my way of learning about them and their cases, so maybe I shouldn’t feel bad about it? In the end, they agreed to be filmed, yet the filmmakers could have acted more ethically correct and inform about possible consequences. But then, we wouldn’t have received many great documentaries. So, what’s the price of such film? I guess I’ll be thinking about it for quite some time. Feel free to join me.

My rating: 7/10
S.