Series Site
Filmmaker Alex Pritz presents a series of participatory films that inspired his recent feature documentary, THE TERRITORY.
“Participatory documentary, where the on-screen individuals are also involved in the behind-the-scenes filmmaking process, is having “a moment.” Discussions about the rights of film subjects, and the responsibilities of nonfiction filmmakers have emerged as central concerns of the documentary film industry, and in the process, have created space for filmmakers to explore alternative methods of co-creation. While it may be new to many of us, the concept of participatory filmmaking has been around for a long time in the form of the Latin American Third Cinema movement. Films like IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS continue in the participatory tradition by collaborating directly with a local community to develop the visual representations of their experience, while investing in a robust campaign to turn the film's message into political action. In the Brazilian films THE LAST FOREST, as well as THE TERRITORY, Indigenous communities take control of the film’s production, powerfully asserting their own narrative sovereignty through the film’s message as well as the process in which it was created. By peeling back even further, works like STOP FILMING US and THE ACT OF KILLING break the fourth wall and let audiences see production itself depicted on screen, revealing new insights into the ways the camera changes us all, and offering fresh critiques of the power dynamics involved in nonfiction filmmaking, no matter how participatory it may be.” – Alex Pritz