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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.

Notes on Blindness

Eloise Ross / February 14, 2016

Notes on Blindness explores the soundscape

Documentarians Peter Middleton and James Spinney use segments of John M. Hull’s actual audio tape recordings to reconstruct his experience of going blind in this experimental non-fiction film.

Alex Heeney / February 9, 2016

Unlocking the Cage on chimpanzee rights

Do intelligent non-humans like chimpanzees, elephants, and dolphins deserve human-like rights? According to Steven Wise, the animal rights lawyer at the centre of Chris Hegedus’ and D.A. Pennebaker’s documentary Unlocking the Cage, it’s overdue.

Penny Lane

Alex Heeney / February 1, 2016

Penny Lane on NUTS!: a gullible audience

Penny Lane talked to us about the importance of pacing in the film, why they used animated re-enactments, and how to think about documentary film.

Wiseman Jackson Heights

Alex Heeney / November 20, 2015

Wiseman talks making In Jackson Heights

Master documentarian Frederick Wiseman discusses his editing process and how this informs how he shot In Jackson Heights.

Jafar Panahi's Taxi

Alex Heeney / October 14, 2015

Jafar Panahi’s Taxi is an absorbing day out in Tehran

As Jafar picks up passengers, meets friends, and runs into others, key political and economic issues get discussed. The film feels realistic, much like the conversations and performances in “Before Sunset” and “Conversations with Other Women” have the ring of real interactions. But even as the film touches on imprisonment from unsubstantiated charges, interrogation and torture, rampant crime, and government censorship of films, it does so with a light touch. Because the characters treat these things as commonplace, as casual conversation topics, we understand just how deep the problems run. And Jafar remains an affable presence even as some of his passengers’ actions would try anyone’s patience.

Sherpa, Jennifer Peedom, Everest doc Sherpa

Alex Heeney / October 10, 2015

TIFF15: Jennifer Peedom discusses her Everest doc Sherpa

Jennifer Peedom discusses the making of her terrific Everest doc, Sherpa, the first documentary to be told from the Sherpa’s perspective.

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