Reassemblage Trinh Minh Ha , 1982
We consider Documentaries to be the most authentic and realistic form of film there is. A traditional documentary provides scientific information, continious footage, minimal editing, and an anti-aesthetic objective view. We expect a documentary to be truthful and raw with what is being presented.
Trinh Minh ha really challenges this idea of seeing documentaries as truthful or authentic. She argues that while a camera eye might be objective, however the film maker behind the camera is not objective. Through documentaries there is this sense of creating meaning through what is being portrayed and get the voice of the "other" which is then translated, without this they would be unheard. Through her film Reassemblage, we see the documentary form being more expressional and abstract and challenging the traditional documentary form.
The ideas and concepts that Trinh Minh Ha touches on her criticism of documentary brings up so much to talk about when it comes to film. One question I thought about was: is a camera was subjective or objective? And I believe that the camera itself is objective, but the person using a camera is subjective. This then lead me to think about how all films, even documentaries are subjective and therefore, portraying a perspective that specifically wants there to be a certain agenda or message being absorbed. Film is realistic and can be authentic, but it is an art form and is used to an individuals liking.
I really liked thinking about all these concepts and ideas when it comes to looking at film!
It was very interesting to read about your perspective about art and film making, and about your views on objectivity and subjectivity. I think the intention between the the film maker themselves and the way the audience views and takes in the film is also very important, especially within experimental films.
ReplyDeleteI loved to see your differentiation between the objective camera and the subjective filmmaker. It is true that ,in reality, film is an art form and art is the embodiment of individual expression. It definitely leads to the pressing question of if a film can ever exist without personal bias.
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