Documentary films assume special significance in light of the fact that they are a potent tool in challenging “the power of business and government”. In other words, the genre is an aid to democratic functioning of society. Movements that require public solidarity are made possible by this genre. For example, the movement for global justice (which is derogatively termed as the “anti-globalization” movement) grew upon the communication forum provided by the internet. A little further back in history, President Franklin Roosevelt’s campaigns for social change during the 1930’s got the necessary public support due mainly to the films made on the policies. For example,
“When the Roosevelt Administration wanted to sell Americans on expensive new government programs, it commissioned some of the most remarkable visual poems made in the era, by Pare Lorentz and a talented team. Works such as The Plow that Broke the Plains (1936) and The River (1938) helped to invest taxpayers in programs that promoted economic stability and growth.” (www.documentaryfilms.net)
To this day, most “radical” or “progressive” political and social movements, including socialism, atheism, etc. are most active in the cyber space. The recent rise in number of documentary productions could be attributed to the fact that the internet allows for easy and convenient transmission of non-commercial documentary films.
Most documentary films are not made for monetary gains; yet their reliance on funding cannot be overlooked. If not for anything, the producers need decent returns on their investment to keep the cycle of production and distribution running smoothly. While documentaries are not subject to corporate and ideological influences as fictional motion pictures are, they do at times succumb to these pressures. A case in point is the wildlife film March of the Penguins released in 2005. The film uses “sensationalism, sex and violence” to attract audiences (Vic Alexander, 2007). Such state of affairs was predicted by Leo Tolstoy more than a century ago. He said upon leaving the theater, “What a wonderful instrument this could be in the schools, for studying geography and the way people live. But it will be prostituted. Like everything else.” (Vic Alexander, 2007). A similar sentiment is expressed by communications expert James Carey:
“Reality is a scarce resource. Reality is not what is out there, after all, but what we know, understand and share with each other of what is out there. Media affect the most expensive real estate of all, the real estate inside your head. Documentary is an important reality-shaping communication, because of its claims to truth. Documentaries are always grounded in real life, and make a claim to tell us something worth knowing about it.” (www.documentaryfilms.net)
While there is no denying the usefulness of this genre for propagation of information for the interests of the general public, there have been episodes in the past where documentary films have aided oppressive governments. The standout example of this is the employment of this genre for Nazi anti-Semitic propaganda of the late 1930s. By the end of the Second World War, as many as 6 million Jews were executed in gas chambers and ghettos as a result (Barnouw, 102).
The recent rise in the number of political and social documentaries that are critical of the corporate-government nexus is definitely a positive sign. The popularity of some of these films indicates the change in public consciousness over recent years. More and more people are raising their voices and having it heard. This is a healthy sign for democracy and cultural advancement. So, in the final analysis, the role of documentary films in contemporary society is a beneficial one as well as an essential one.
Works Cited:
Barnouw, Eric, Documentary: A History of Non-Fiction Film, Oxford University Press, United States, 1993.
Featured Reviews Archive, retrived from <www.documentaryfilms.net> on 9th December 2007.
Vic Alexander, The Importance of Documentary Film, retrieved from www.v-a.com/filmmaking on 9th December 2007