Introduction

What is a documentary? “A nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspects of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record.” (Wikipedia)

Documentaries since the early 20th century have been at the forefront of change and development; never afraid to challenge the audience's perception of the world that began when Robert J. Flaherty’s staged Nanook of the North (1922) and the technical achievements of Dziga Vertov's Man With A Movie Camera (1929) which gave us a kaleidoscopic view of Moscow. Each decade since then, filmmakers from all different backgrounds have picked up the baton, taking the form into new directions such as Leni Riefenstahl's Olympics (1938) which employed jump cuts, extreme close-ups, and tracking shots from the stands. As Arriflex cameras got smaller and more lightweight, filmmakers were able to record sync sound with the Nagra III which opened up the doors to a host of filmmakers in the 1960s who revelled in “direct cinema” - creating some groundbreaking work by filmmakers including the Maysles brothers and D. A. Pennebaker.

Bill Nichols‘ classic text Introduction to Documentary, outlines the six modes (or “sub-genres” or “types”) of documentaries. While there’s a lot of variation within, these are the six main categories of the genre in which all documentary films can be cast.

Poetic Documentaries first seen in the 1920s - The ultimate goal is to create a feeling rather than a truth. Expository Documentaries - Aim to inform and/or persuade often through omnipresent “Voice of God”  narration over the footage. Observational Documentaries - They aim to simply observe the world around them. The style attempts to give voice to all sides of an issue.

Participatory Documentaries - While having elements of Observational and Expository, they can include the filmmaker within the narrative. Reflexive Documentaries - Again they often include the filmmaker within the film but focus solely on themselves and the act of them making the film.

Performative Documentaries - They often connect personal accounts or experience juxtaposed with larger political or historical issues. This has sometimes been called the “Michael Moore” style, as he often uses his own personal stories as a way to construct social truths.

We are now in such a wonderful period of documentaries where world-class filmmakers such as Kim Longintotto are dedicating their lives to making films which give us access to stories and places that we would never have the chance to see.  

Since 2018 he has programmed the Folkestone Harbour Screen and from 2019, the monthly documentary club at Folkestone Quarterhouse. He is also the festival director of the inaugural Folkestone Documentary Festival which will takes place at The Folkestone Quarterhouse.

Founded in 2012 by Jan Dunn and James Collie, Violet Pictures is a Kent based, documentary film distributor. Violet Pictures has released a number of films, which include Sundance, Emmy, and SXSW award winners. Their partners include Curzon Home Cinema, Mubi and independent cinemas across the country. Their next release is the fascinating Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project which is available on demand from the 24th of July.

James has selected a programme of the following films:  The Driver is Red (15 mins) - Randall Christopher, The Full Story - Daisy Jacobs (8 mins), World Of Tomorrow (17 mins) - Don Hertzfeldt

Programme 1 Documentary

Curated by James Collie

We asked James Collie, Director of the Folkestone Quarterhouse Doc Club and Violet Pictures to curate a series of animated short films and documentaries.

“I was captivated by animated documentaries and feature films once I saw Waltz With Bashir a decade ago. I immersed myself with other films in the canon such as Richard Linklaker's Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. I’m excited to present a programme of animated short docs and narrative films to highlight some fantastic short form work from talented filmmakers.”

James has over 15 years of film industry experience which includes producing, programming and distribution work. His innovative, hands-on approach to distribution encourages innovation and collaboration, helping independent filmmakers navigate a highly competitive marketplace whilst elevating the profile of their projects.