A Companion to Contemporary Documentary Film

A Companion to Contemporary Documentary Film presents a comprehensive collection of original essays that examine the current state of the documentary film in the United States and around the world. Featuring contributions from top documentary scholars and makers, readings are grouped around thematic strands central to contemporary documentary filmmakers and the study of documentary film— the planet, migration, work, sex, virus, religion, war, torture, and surveillance. A variety of issues relating to these topics are addressed as they are treated in a range of documentaries, including questions of form and formal traditions; the politics of documentaries and their real-world implications; the voice of the documentary filmmaker; regional, national, and international representations; and approaches to race, ethnicity, sexuality and gender in a fascinating array of films. A Companion to Contemporary Documentary Film offers thought-provoking insights into a film format that is rapidly achieving its powerful potential to inform, inspire, enlighten, and even change the world.