Documentary

A documentary is a non-fiction film or television work that presents factual material about real people, events, places, or issues.

A documentary is a non-fiction film or television work that presents factual material about real people, events, places, or issues. The form is commonly associated with education, historical record, persuasion, or artistic interpretation of reality, and the term was coined by John Grierson in 1926.

Definition

Documentary film is generally defined as a nonfiction motion picture that documents reality, usually with the aim of informing, educating, or preserving a historical record.

History

The modern use of the word “documentary” is commonly traced to John Grierson in 1926, who described it as the “creative treatment of actuality.”

Style and techniques

Documentaries often use real-world footage, interviews, narration, archival material, and observational filming, though some also use reenactments or other creative techniques.

Subgenres and modes

Film scholars and educators commonly divide documentaries into modes such as expository, observational, participatory, reflexive, poetic, and performative, reflecting different ways of presenting factual material.

Documentary in Canada

Documentaries are an established part of Canadian film and television culture, including public broadcasting and the work of Canadian documentary filmmakers, and the genre is widely used to explore Canadian history, society, and current issues.