A Companion to Contemporary Documentary Film

"A Companion to Contemporary Documentary Film" presents a dynamic collection of original essays that examine the current state of the documentary in the United States and around the world. Featuring contributions from top documentary scholars and makers, readings are organized around thematic strands central to concerns of today's world - 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.