Documentary films are designed to document events or people in a way that authentically reflects the world. Last year, however, films such as "Catfish," "I'm Still Here" and "Exit Through the Gift Shop" twisted the definition of the genre, presenting themselves as documentaries but eliciting speculation as to how true they really are. The results have been mixed, to say the least.
"Catfish" is a small picture that made a big splash and got people talking when it opened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010. The film follows a man, Nev Schulman, who finds love on Facebook with a young woman whom he has never met in real life. He quickly learns that people are not always the same as how they present themselves online. The film offers a hard look at modern society and how the new ways in which people interact affect our realities and identities. The film has earned roughly $3.2 million at the domestic box office — quite impressive, considering its small budget.
Despite its success, the film has garnered a small backlash, with a number of people questioning the validity of the story. Some viewers were dubious about why a documentary crew would be videotaping Nev, whose life seems to be uneventful until the surprise encounter. It seems illogical that the crew would be filming him unless it knew beforehand the drama that was about to unfold.
The picture was deemed ineligible for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature because of doubts over its authenticity, though the filmmakers hold that the film is "100−percent true." This controversy may have ultimately helped the film, though, as "Catfish" has become one of the top 10 grossing documentaries of 2010 and the 39th highest−grossing documentary of all time.
Right above "Catifsh," at number 38 on the list of top−grossing documentaries, is "Exit Through the Gift Shop," another "documentary" that hit theaters last year and also blurred the line between reality and fiction.
"Exit" was directed by Banksy, a British graffiti and street artist whose identity and image is unknown to the public and who is known for his challenging works that tend to push the boundaries of what is classified as art. Through interviews with real−life street artists, the film at first appears to be a simple documentary about street art, but it quietly becomes a satire and criticism of the art world.
The film introduces an artist named "Mr. Brainwash." Banksy shows him gaining acclaim and millions of dollars selling his works, despite having little talent or artistic insight. He gains these accolades all because of some minor hype that falsely builds around him. It is unclear whether Banksy helped create Mr. Brainwash in an attempt to show the meaninglessness of art critics and their work or if he just happened to witness Mr. Brainwash's unjustifiable rise in the art community.
A film like "Exit" works because it reveals hypocrisies in the art community but simultaneously feels in line with Bansky's other works, which are shrouded in secrecy. And where questionable validity hurt "Catfish," it helped "Exit," as Bansky and the film are nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars this year.
Casey Affleck's "I'm Still Here," about his brother−in−law, Joaquin Phoenix, was also first presented as a documentary. But after some controversy (much like that surrounding "Catfish"), it was revealed to be an elaborate hoax. Phoenix spent the entire production acting as though he had quit acting to pursue a hip−hop career, with his apparent nervous breakdown an attempt to convince the public that what was happening on film was true.
Critics and audiences alike received the film poorly. Most seemed more interested in figuring out if the film was legitimate than in actually watching it. After the release, Affleck revealed that the film was not a real documentary but an attempt to satirize celebrity culture in America.
The uncertainty surrounding the film as well as Phoenix's bizarre behavior ultimately alienated viewers. Once it was revealed to be a hoax, many were angry and felt tricked, as the film falsely claimed to be an authentic documentary. In reality, "I'm Still Here" was more similar to "Borat"(2004).
Filmmaking is a craft that has continued to evolve since its inception, and some directors may choose to travel down a new path of partially manipulating or falsifying documentaries in order to make statements and interact with audiences in novel ways.
