To what extent can it be said that your chosen documentary is shaped by the filmmaker’s approach? Refer to at least one filmmaker’s theory you have studied.
Documentary, as a film form, lends itself well to a wide array of different film – makers. Due to the different interpretations that film – makers have of this broad genre, many different theories have risen about the ideals of a documentary.
Bill Nichols categorised documentaries into six different modes, based on distinct features. Although documentaries may form a part of the same mode, due to the creative freedom film gives film – makers, there can be even further categorisation of documentaries, based on film – makers’ theories. Kim Longinotto, famed for her pioneering work in bringing to light issues that affect women, utilises a very unique theory when producing her documentaries, in order to illicit a sense of questioning and inspiration in her audience, which is, arguably, the purpose of her documentaries.
In addition to his theory on the six modes of documentary, Bill Nichols’ also suggested that every film is a documentary, either: wish fulfilment (fiction) or social representation (non – fiction). Longinotto blends these two ideas together, in order to create a film that inspires hope within her audience. She structures her documentaries in a very similar way to how fiction films are structured, with a distinct: beginning, middle and end. However, unlike with fiction films, her documentaries do not have a conclusive denouement. Instead, she aims for her to films pose questions. That the endings carry a message of hopeful optimism but that they also inspire more fortunate people to think about the world around them. In her film, Sisters In Law, we follow a young girl named Manka, as she fights a legal battle against her abusive Aunt. The ending of the story shows how the Aunt was imprisoned. We see that Manka is safe but it is not yet clear where she will stay. Clearly this raised questions to the audience because, shortly after the documentary was released, a woman in the UK adopted Manka. This suggests that Longinotto’s theory of not completely resolving the story is effective in posing questions to her audience.
In a similar way to fiction films, Longinotto uses characters in her documentaries. However, these characters are real people, with actual issues that affect them. Longinotto ensures that this does not escape her audience; since she doesn’t manipulate mise – en – scene, in the form of make – up or costumes, to provide an alternate meaning. She chooses to let her characters play a natural role in an unfolding story. This means that the characters are kept honest, making them more relatable to the audience. This is important in carrying out the purpose of Longinotto’s documentaries – to inspire. This is most evident in Sisters In Law, when we see a woman named Amina talk to her friends about what she is going to wear the next day in court. This shows the candid nature of Longinotto’s stance on mise – en – scene.
Longinotto chooses not to manipulate elements of the film form, keeping her films grounded in realism and focusing on the subject matter at hand. For example, she acts as a camera – woman, choosing to have a hands – on approach with the production of her documentaries. As such, Longinotto is able to use cinematography in a way that appeals to her ideology. She seldom moves the camera unnecessarily and uses the camera as a way – in for her audiences to gain access to sensitive situations. The camera doesn’t tell the story, the action shown does. When we witness the shocking scenes of Sonita discussing how she was raped, Longniotto keeps the camera still and doesn’t use any zooms or pans. This ensures that the audience’s attention is kept firmly on what Sonita is saying. Since Longinotto lets the action play out without manipulating the cinematography to provide an alternate meaning, the audience can better empathise with the characters shown on – screen. As such, the audience can better relate to the characters and this helps to convey a message of inspiration, which is Longinotto’s aim in making her documentaries.
Like many documentary film – makers, Longinotto uses the convention of continuity editing. This is important in her films because they often take place over a long time period and it is important for the audience to ascertain a sense of time, so that they can experience how traumatic some stories truly are. This is most important in Sisters In Law because court cases can be long and drawn out, happening over multiple weeks. Since Longinotto uses continuity editing, the court cases act as a pseudo – story, where it is easy for the audience to understand what is taking place. This helps viewers to understand the gravity of the situation and helps to endear the women to the viewers, so that they are more likely to view them as aspirational beacons of hope.
Equally, Longinotto doesn’t really use sound, other than dialogue and the occasional piece of music. The music bookends the start and end of her films. They tell the audience when to focus and when to reflect. This is important because; due to the sensitive topics covered in Longinotto’s films, the audience is encouraged to question. Sisters In Law begins with an intense piece of a non – diegetic, composed, score, instantly pulling the audiences’ attention towards the desolate landscape displayed on screen and signalling for them to begin to focus. Sisters In Law also ends with a similar piece of music, acting as the pivot point to where the audience should now reflect and question what they have just seen. Longinotto uses music to enhance the inquisitive value of her documentaries and to encourage the audience to feel inspired.
Longinotto doesn’t like to meticulously plan her filming process, she finds this obtrusive. It would take away from the reality of the stories being covered because nothing can be scripted or planned in the volatile situations that the women find themselves in. In this case, Longinotto’s documentaries remain candid and true – to – life. This is important because, not only does it endear the women to the audience, it also ensures that there is a tremendous sense of curiosity instilled within the viewer from the offset. In Sisters In Law, we see Manka begin to cry, seemingly out of the blue. This clearly was a spontaneous clip that was recorded and further endeared Manka to the audience. Since Longinotto lets the action unfold naturally, the women featured in Sisters In Law seem more honest, ensuring that the audience views them as aspirational heroes, that they can feel inspired by.
Clearly, Longinotto’s style of documentary is geared towards letting the action and the stories unfold naturally. Her theory is critical in ensuring that the aim of her documentaries is met – to inspire. When you consider the theories of other documentary film – makers, such as Michael Moore, Longinotto’s documentaries are very distinct. If Sisters In Law was produced by Michael Moore, it would look vastly different to the film as of now. Moore takes a much more involved apporach with his films, his documentaries often fall into the Participatory or Performative modes. Sisters In Law would not have had the raw, aestheic quality that it had if it was produced by Moore. This is because the women might not have been brave enough to talk about some of the sensitive issues affecting them, if Moore was interviewing them, for example. Longinotto’s theories as to how to produce an ideal documentary in the Observational mode, ensures that Sisters In Law carries an honest message of hope, that inspires her audience.
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