Return of the Star People

Zentropa Real Dogumentary 

Mass affirmation of the documentary film has been one of the most discussed topics in recent times. It has reached a certain equilibrium in the past few years, sharing a large part of the traditional cinematographical market, as well as becoming more and more a feature of television (especially satellite TV). Productions of all kinds are rapidly increasing and good films are intermingled with less-well made products. It appears that these products are seeking standpoints from which to better represent the realities of our time; this is encouraged by the stimulating exchanges between older and younger generations of directors. Techniques are tried out and perfected on the field, although with the enormous quantity of topics available there has been no evolution of true “schools” or movements in this field.

One exception, perhaps, is being presented at the Festival [CinemAmbiente 2005]. It may be surprising for its rigour which has emerged over the past few years on the other hand it reflects the clear consequence of a pathway begun in 1987 and becoming more marked in the 1990's. It is the manifesto of “Dogma 95” signed by Lars von Trier and Thomas Vintemberg on 13th March 1995, together with the works connected with it. This is one of the most prominent achievements in recent years and, amid excesses of enthusiasm and criticism, it focuses primarily on the relationship between reality and the cinema. With political involvement the “vow of chastity”, as we know, regards all the strong equipment of the mise en scène that ensures the narrative shared likelihood of fiction and, generally, the essence of cinema itself. The most successful Dogma 95' films bridge the divide between opposite sides of the cine-camera or tele-camera, so that they become both fiction films and documentaries about the same film. Practical and theoretical implications would need more ample treatment but at that time the boundaries and content of documentaries still needed to be defined. For this reason there appeared a revised manifesto, The Dogumentary Rules, signed by Lars von Trier in May 2001; it further defined the concept of documentary and appeared to be what was needed.

Related to this is the Zentropa Real directed by Karoline Leth, a twin section of the Zentropa; in 2004 it released six films which will all be shown at the Festival. Although these works include obvious “staging” devices and serve to reinforce the aims of the movement, each of them succeeds in putting the directors in a good light. Discussions and opposing ideas demonstrate how personal opinions may be harmonised by means of rules.

These documentaries are different in that they provide food for thought on the contemporary scene of documentary cinema. They make their mark amid the uncertain whirl of present times. The CinemAmbiente festival is glad to welcome them and hopes for many more to come.

The Dogumentary Rules

1. All the locations in the film must be revealed. (This is to be done by text being inserted in the image. This constitutes an exception of number 5. All the text must be legible.)
2. The beginning of the film must outline the goals and ideas of the director. (This must be shown to the film's “actors” and technicians before filming begins.)
3. The end of the film must consist of two minutes of free speaking time by the film's "victim”. This "victim" alone shall advise regarding the content and must approve this part of the finished film. If there is no opposition by any of the collaborators, there will be no victim or victims. To explain this, there will be text inserted at the end of the film.
4. All clips must be marked with 6-12 black frames. (Unless they are a clip in real time, that is a direct clip in a multi-camera filming situation.)
5. Manipulation of the sound and/or images must not take place. Filtering creative lighting and/or optical effects are strictly forbidden.
6. The sound must never be produced apart from the original filming or vice versa. That is, extra soundtracks like music or dialogue must not be mixed in later.
7. Reconstruction of the concept or the directing of the actors is not acceptable. Adding elements as with scenography are forbidden.
8. All use of hidden cameras is forbidden.
9. There must never be used archived images or footage that has been produced for other programs.

“We look for something which is neither fiction nor facts… the fiction is limited by our imagination and the facts by our insight, and the part of the world we're looking for cannot be captured in a “story” or be taken in from any one “angle”: the material we're looking for witnesses in real life – the one that inspires the creation of fiction – the reality that the journalists claim to describe. But they cannot find this particular material, because they are blinded by their techniques. And they do not want to, because the techniques have become the goal itself”.

May 2001, Lars Von Trier