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Creative Non-Fiction

Creative Non-Fiction is often a more appropriate word for describing innovative forms in documentary filmmaking, which go beyond mere information dump. Here you'll find reviews of films that are pushing the form and interviews with non-fiction filmmakers about making non-fiction works of art.

Jeffrey, TIFF Dropbox Award

Elena Lazic / September 27, 2016

Yanillys Perez’ TIFF16 Dropbox Award Winner Jeffrey

Yanillys Perez’ feature debut, which won the TIFF 16 Dropbox Award for the Discovery Section, is a work of creative nonfiction. Perez mixes magic realist voiceover with a social realist approach to its optimistic, clear-eyed, and poetic subject: Jeffrey, a charming and driven 12-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a famous reggaeton & dembow singer.

Women He's Undressed, Orry-Kelly

Laura Anne Harris / September 20, 2016

In Women He’s Undressed, Designer Orry-Kelly finally gets his moment in the sun, and boy is he fabulous!

Gillian Armstrong’s new documentary, Women He’s Undressed, resurrects the witty and cheeky Orry-Kelly to tell his life story and illuminate the art behind his historic costume designs.

Royal Road, Jenni Olson

Gillie Collins / September 7, 2016

Writer-Director Jenni Olson on her film essay, The Royal Road

Jenni Olson on her 16mm film essay, The Royal Road, a story of unrequited love told through the linear progression of California’s El Camino road.

No Home Movie

Alex Heeney / March 29, 2016

Chantal Akerman’s final film No Home Movie is a heartbreaking personal essay

Chantal Akerman’s moving cinematic essay is a tribute to her mother, a holocaust survivor, and a subtle exploration of Jewish “suitcase-ready” culture.

Arabian Nights, Miguel Gomes

Brandon Nowalk / March 10, 2016

Arabian Nights is an intoxicating, maddening mosaic of recession-era Portugal

Arabian Nights is the blind men’s elephant: miniseries and short story cycle, documentary and fantasy, proletarian and prohibitive. It’s an enormous six-hour movie split into three volumes, made up mostly of separate smaller stories.

Joshua Oppenheimer

Alex Heeney / February 25, 2016

Joshua Oppenheimer discusses his haunted, ‘magical realist’ doc The Look of Silence

Joshua Oppenheimer discusses his collaboration with Adi Rukun, the importance of empathy, and the magical realist landscape and soundscape of his Oscar-nominated documentary The Look of Silence.

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