It's a documentary about documentaries - and it's fascinating...
Directors: Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera
Running time: 97 minutes
True to form, it’s been well-documented: documentaries are having a moment right now. From Tiger King getting everyone through the first lockdown to whatever true crime series is currently taking over the front pages of Netflix, they’re everywhere - and they’re all a lot of people talk about. Yet, while the viewer may get a thrill out of seeing unbelievable things happening to everyday people, how do these projects affect their subjects? How much agency do documentary participants really have on the series or films made about their stories, and how much can that impact their lives in the years - or even decades - after their release? This is exactly what Subject aims to interrogate.
Catching up with the participants of five of the biggest documentaries of all time - from The Square to The Staircase - directors Camilla Hall and Jennifer Tiexiera explore the ways in which their industry can fundamentally change lives, for better or worse. It’s unflinching, unbiased and unequivocal in its commitment to giving subjects a chance to say what they really want to say, without influence or suggestion - and it acts as a thought-provoking guide on the importance of what Hall describes as “conscious consumption” as a result.
If you are an aspiring documentarian, have any interest in the power of documentary filmmaking, or just can’t decide what to watch at Broadway this weekend, this is well worth checking out
In a world where we can switch on a series and entertain ourselves with the worst days, weeks, months or years of someone else’s existence, all while scrolling on our phones or making dinner, are we becoming desensitised to the most sensitive of issues? Are we losing our empathy, or are we educating ourselves on poignant issues? These questions are asked, and some answers are provided, all without prejudice. Participants in the documentary, such as Margaret Ratliff, daughter of The Staircase subject Michael Peterson, and Ahmed Hassan, one of the protagonists of The Square who can no longer safely return to Egypt as a result of his role in the protests, talk passionately and intellectually about the complex topic.
Yet at the same time, this is still, as Hall puts it, “a love letter to documentaries”. By holding filmmakers to account, by refusing to shy away from the tough questions, it aims to make the industry a safer, more special place. Subject celebrates films’ power, but reminds us that that power needs to be kept in check, and it’s fascinating from start to finish.
So, if you are an aspiring documentarian, have any interest in the power of documentary filmmaking, or just can’t decide what to watch at Broadway this weekend, this is well worth checking out.
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