If you answer the question in your own words, then literally the following definition will come out: “a movie in which real events are shown & raquo. You can also say that this is a non-action film. The term “documentary” was first introduced in 1920 by John Grierson. According to him, documentary cinema is a creative approach to reality. And even before Grierson, films based on travel footage were called documentaries.
Of course, documentary cinema as a genre has existed for a long time. Exactly as long as there is cinema in general. Documentary films were shot on a wide variety of topics. At the beginning of the development of documentary cinema as a genre, important events of the political, economic and social life of the state were filmed, international relations, cultural events, scientific achievements were covered. And, of course, the lives of famous people. In their film stories, the authors sometimes delved into philosophy and reasoning.
Documentary film
Documentary cinema is the transmission of reliable facts, it is the shooting of life itself, which is not what you show about game cinema. No matter how well the events in the game movie are reproduced, they cannot be considered reliable.
Nowadays, the very concept of “documentary” is often questioned. Some well-known film actors were particularly successful in this controversy. And the doubts are based on the fact that many people, after seeing the camera, begin to try on this or that role, try to look better or simply imitate someone. Not a trace of naturalness remains, therefore, such a film can be called a documentary with great exaggeration. That’s why many are sure that a documentary is only the material that was shot on a hidden camera. Filming with a hidden camera is currently in favor among novice directors. According to Lars von Trier, whose opinion is accepted in cinema circles, the task of such a documentary is to return authenticity and impartiality to the viewer. This is the only way to maintain trust in the documentary. And the very existence of documentary cinema as a genre is also in question. According to some film critics and specialists in this field, this is just a type of staged cinema. What kind of film can be considered a documentary? The question remains open.
Educational film
There is another type of documentary film – this is an educational film. Such films are created specifically for the field of education and are used in educational institutions of various types and degrees. It has long been proven that there is nothing better in the learning process than visual aids. Thus, the visual material, designed in the form of a small video, is much better perceived and remembered by students compared to lectures and oral explanations. The documentary implements the principle of visuality, which is important in education. In the USA, it has long been used in the field of education. Just like in Europe. The popularity of such shows is growing day by day. Now it remains to think that in the coming years the field of education will have an enviable video library of educational documentaries.