The
New Political Documentary Election
year 2004 was a notable year for the filmmakers who helped define
the New Political Documentary. Dissident response to the Bush administration's
foreign and domestic policies reached mainstream American audiences
with more force than ever before. However, the genre is not limited
to the issues exclusive to that landmark year-a broader theme is at
work. The new political documentaries in fact question the traditional
scope of the documentary and begin to establish an explicit perspective
that not only participates in, but actively shapes public dialog.
The efforts of these provocateur filmmakers have succeeded in defining
a distinct genre within the evolution of political documentary filmmaking.
Both in terms of production as well as distribution, the new political
documentary charts new ground and consequently lays the framework
for an evocative form of protest for new millennia.
For
more information regarding the parameters and controversies of the
New Political Documentary, check out the following useful websites: PBS: Independent Lens Center for Social Media
A list
of the 2004 new political documentarians (and their films) follows:
