Kill the Documentary: A Letter to Filmmakers, Students, and Scholars

Jill Godmilow's documentary "Kill the Documentary" calls for a new kind of nonfiction filmmaking that activates viewers' engagement with historical or present-day problems. She advocates for a "postrealist" cinema that is experimental, interventionist, performative, and transformative, and proposes provocative new ways of making and watching films.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 22 March 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

In her groundbreaking book, "Kill the Documentary," acclaimed director Jill Godmilow fervently advocates for a new era of nonfiction filmmaking. She critically examines a wide range of documentary films, from classics like "Nanook of the North" to recent productions like "The Vietnam War" by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Godmilow condemns these films for their reliance on the "pedigree of the real" and the "pornography of the real," which fail to engage viewers and prompt them to consider historical or contemporary issues. Conventional documentaries often create a sense of detachment, where the audience is positioned as a voyeur, reinforcing self-satisfaction and self-absorption.

In contrast, Godmilow proposes a "postrealist" cinema that aims to challenge established ways of knowing and understanding the world. She advocates for experimental, interventionist, performative, and transformative nonfiction films that refuse to offer the faux empathy and sentimental spectacle of mainstream documentaries. Through her analysis, Godmilow demonstrates how a film can create a meaningful and useful experience by forcefully questioning established narratives and ways of seeing.

Godmilow also delves into her own career as a filmmaker and explores the formal and political strategies employed by artists such as Luis Buñuel, Georges Franju, Harun Farocki, Trinh T. Minh-ha, and Rithy Panh. She draws inspiration from these directors' innovative approaches to storytelling and their commitment to social and political commentary.

"Kill the Documentary" serves as both a manifesto and a guidebook, offering provocative new ways of making and watching films. It challenges filmmakers to break free from traditional conventions and explore alternative modes of representation that can engage viewers more deeply and encourage them to think critically about the world around them. Whether you are a filmmaker, a film enthusiast, or simply someone interested in the power of storytelling, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to expand their horizons and challenge the status quo.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231202763