Telling stories through different voices and views
While trust in the media is challenged globally, the independent documentary film industry and its audiences are growing. Documentary filmmaking has become one of the most influential ways of telling stories, even as the broader media experiences unprecedented disruptions.
As a genre, documentary film speaks in a language of its own – it is neither journalism nor fiction but rather a genre where social, political and cultural criticism finds a space. This is the case even in countries where media and freedom of expression are highly restricted. Documentary film creates a space to promote new voices and views.
In repressive societies, documentary filmmaking often escapes censorship imposed on news media and plays an important role in providing a diverse media landscape. An increase in professionally produced documentaries from ambitious filmmakers looking to tell stories can raise awareness and bring about change. The stories they tell are about personal lives, political change and social dynamics that are rarely found elsewhere in the media stream. As an audio-visual medium, documentary film has the ability to include all – also those that are illiterate, underserved or reliant on one-sided and state-controlled news and information.