"A word that has been bandied about a lot is 'change' and I think our country is desperately in need of change. Artists are agents of change. They're our first responders and they document the world around us." - Robert Redford, Sundance Film Festival- 2008

At a time when economic crises, natural disasters, terrorist attacks and market shocks are daily headlines, documentarians have become increasingly responsive. The 2008 Sundance Film Festival showcased a considerable amount of documentaries, with an increase from previous years. Several directors at this year's festival took on an alarmist, activist approach with such films as " I.O.U.S.A.," "Flow: For Love of Water" and "Secrecy."

Recently, protecting the credibility of documentary films has become cause for concern. For example, to what extent is a film too individualized and to what extent does it become a mockery of its subject? Michael Moore took creative liberties in such a way that only partial information was disseminated to his audience. Although "Sicko" was immensely entertaining, he went to great lengths to prove his side incessantly – even when it meant not recognizing the other side of the story in full detail. Some would say that he failed at giving the audience the fundamentals on how we can fix the problem of healthcare in this country. Others thanked him for tackling such a topic, subjective or not, and creating well-deserved dialogue on the current state of our healthcare system.

Documentaries go beyond broadcast and print journalism and serve as a more in-depth, democratic and broader way to get information out to the masses. Thanks to the Bush Administration, we have fodder for to make controversial and shocking documentaries for years to come. Consequently, there are dozens of films on Iraq being produced – but why are box office sales so low? Maybe it's that people are fatigued by the constant news on the war, as Iraq stories have inundated broadcast journalism. Audiences have become reluctant and uninterested in going to the theatre to see more war stories.

Another important genre of documentaries is those whose urgency focuses on shifting policy. Societal change has been creeping up on us and it's usually after the fact (obesity, war, global warming) that documentaries hit theaters – usually years after the initial conception of the idea. The distributors of "Why We Fight" waited one year before they pushed this film into theaters. As a result, when a documentary finally does hit theaters there is a sense of nostalgia on what we could have done about the crisis.


On Crisis Survival, the first of a series of Sundance panels, covered a broad range of topics on disaster and its aftermath in relation to filmmaking. A crisis or natural disaster can leave people without their humanity, but a documentary film can humanize a crisis. For example, "Trouble the Water" focuses on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Broadcast news focused on oil prices rising, but failed to address many of the real issues. Director Tia Lessin set out to give the people of Katrina a voice and an opportunity not to remain a mere statistic. The U.S. media overwhelms us with headlines and alerts, and it's up to documentaries to see beyond the headline and create a piece of art that not only gives the story a more human meaning, but also entertains and educates.

With an increasingly desensitized audience, a documentarian needs to find new ways to tell a story. Filmmakers need to achieve a balance between the dissertation piece that focuses solely on educating the audience, and entertainment. Stretching the boundaries and finding a fresh, innovative way to do this will hopefully engage more viewers. Documentaries have the weight to stay at the forefront of an ever-changing industry. Telling an honest story is first and foremost the goal of this genre of film. This is our opportunity, as a people, to inform and change society.
Sundance Film Festival.

BY TIFFANY PECKOSH