First American Documentary

     
     Although this is a French cinema class, I wanted to inquire about the history of documentary films in the United States.  The first documentary film recorded was called Nanook of the North, created by director Robert Flaherty.  It follows an Inuit hunter who struggles to take care of his family during a Canadian winter. It is a black and white and silent film, with descriptions that describe the harsh conditions. Most of the movie is shot from the same angle while the people onscreen move.  For example, when a group of people are sledding away, instead of following the people down the slope, the camera stays at eye level in the same place as they disappear in the distance. The movie also employs long shots and cuts mainly to show dialogue or description.
     Before Flaherty showed the movie, he accidentally dropped a cigarette onto the original camera negative. He then re shot the scenes because he had already not been completely satisfied with his original content. Although the movie seems accurate, there was much controversy around the authenticity of it.  The main character "Nanook" was actually named Allakariallak and his wife in the story was not actually his wife. Just like the beginning of French documentaries, the first American ones created a false story that focused on non western culture.

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