Film: The Documentary Tradition

 We begin by asking whether the Lumière actualité is or is not the precursor of the PBS style documentary. Then we study the theory and practice of social change media, beginning with the 1920s Soviet Socialist tradition (Sergei Eisenstein and Dziga Vertov), the British Empire Marketing Board (John Grierson), the French cinéma vérité (Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin) and the National Film Board of Canada, with special focus on the U.S. 1930s in New York (The Film and Photo League, Nykino).

International examples feature work from China, Brazil and Iran. The course challenges  the definition of “reality” posed by the contemporary faux doc or “mockumentary” as well as documentary work that is both fiction and “not-fiction.” Finally we ask where in the tradition to put documentary footage uploaded to YouTube.