Looking Carefully: New Observational Documentary
In her 2017 essay, “The Reality-Based Community,” film scholar and curator Erika Balsom advocates for a return to observation in non-fiction film, arguing that “the appearances of the world need our care more than our suspicion.” Often associated with cautious scrutiny, the idea of “looking carefully” might rather be imagined as a practice of seeing that seeks to affirm and restore its objects. The films in this series demonstrate how conscientious and committed filmmakers today use documentary not only to show, but to perform acts of care.
