For decades, the cinematic landscape has been fuelled by numerous documentaries. They tackle all kinds of themes. They are a powerful form of media, some of which can have a considerable impact on audiences and society.
Documentaries play a complex role. They aim to educate, raise awareness, document reality, promote social change and celebrate cultural diversity. All this while entertaining, but also encouraging reflection and debate.
Some of them have stood out for having had an impact on entire generations. They are true benchmarks in their field. And we urge you to discover them if you haven’t already!
Socio-political documentaries
We can’t begin this section without first introducing you to Michael Moore’s cult film ‘Bowling for Colombine’. Released in 2002, this documentary forcefully denounces the gun culture in the United States, based on the tragic shooting at a Colombine high school.
In 2012, Joshua Oppenheimer hit the big time with the terrifying ‘The Act of Killing‘. It deals with the genocide in Indonesia of over 1 million political opponents in the 1960s. What makes this film so special is that it shows the killers (protected by a corrupt government) re-enacting their murders themselves.
Finally, there is ‘13th‘, directed by Ava Duvernay and released in 2016. The subject explores the prison system in the United States, revealing the racial injustices that reign in the country.
Historical documentaries
It lasts 9 hours and is a work considered essential to the memory of the Holocaust: the film ‘Shoah’. It was made in 1985 by Claude Lanzmann. The film does not include any archive footage, but nevertheless documents this part of history with skill and accuracy.
More recently, ‘Apocalypse’ (2009) tells the story of the world wars and totalitarianism through the accounts of those who lived through them. There are 33 episodes in all, made up exclusively of recoloured archive footage. A true testimony to devastating historical episodes.
Documentaries on the environment
In 2006, two documentary films on the environment were acclaimed by the press and public alike.
The first, ‘Planet Earth’, is a British documentary series produced by the BBC. It stands out for its breathtaking images of wildlife. A unique journey through the wilderness that dots our planet.
The second, more serious, is ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ directed by David Guggenheim. In this film, the director warns of the global climate crisis and its dangers. We are responsible for this catastrophe, and we are the only ones who can prevent it.
Finally, 2009 saw the release of ‘The Cove‘, an excellent film that won an Oscar the following year. Directed by Louis Psyohios, it highlights the disaster of dolphin hunting in Japan and its consequences for the environment.
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