History of Documentary Film

JMC 3063

This course reveals how documentaries have influenced, persuaded, and entertained us. Topics may include the definitions and purposes of documentary filmmaking, the evolution of the genre, and the variety of approaches adopted by non-fiction filmmakers. Movements discussed may include Primitive Cinema, Poetic Documentaries, Government Propaganda Films, Holocaust Documentaries, Cinema Verite, Observational Cinema, Social Documentary, and Balkan Documentaries. Classes may discuss the ethical and practical considerations that arise in documentary production.