“I was surprised to find that many people automatically assumed that any documentary film would inevitably be objective. Perhaps the term is unsatisfactory, but for me the distinction between the words document and documentary is quite clear. Do we demand objectivity in the evidence presented at a trial? No, the only demand is that each piece of evidence be as full a subjective, truthful, honest presentation of the witness’s attitude as an oath on the Bible can produce from him.”
–Ivens, The Camera and I, p. 137
3 comments on “Ivens. The Camera and I. Re documentary and objectivity.”
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I chose the quote because it showed that Ivens thinks it is actually more powerful to pick a side when making a documentary. I also think it is interesting in terms of all the discussions we are having in senior seminar and praxis class about the objectivity of documentary films. I had never thought before about the link between documents and documentary, and the fact that documents are not objective, but they are still true.