Falsehoods in film: Documentary vs fiction

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

I claim that we should reject a sharp distinction between fiction and non-fiction according to which documentary is a faithful representation of the facts, whilst fiction films merely invite us to imagine what is made up. Instead, we should think of fiction and non-fiction as genres: categories whose membership is determined by a combination of non-essential features and which influence appreciation in a variety of ways. An objection to this approach is that it renders the distinction too conventional and fragile, undermining our justification for criticising documentaries like Bowling for Columbine or The Hunting Ground for playing fast and loose with the facts. I argue that this objection is misguided, misidentifying the justification for criticising non-fiction films that mislead or deceive. I develop an alternative account that explains why we also criticise many fictions for inaccuracy.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)151-162
JournalStudies in Documentary Film
Volume15
Issue number1
Early online date7 May 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • documentary
  • fiction and non-fiction
  • genre
  • assertion
  • belief
  • imagination

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