Hosted by Make Waves

Rebecca Frayn (moderator)

Fernando Meirelles (pre-recorded interview)

Steffen Wild

In recent years, documentaries have moved out of the cinematic shadows and into the mainstream. Blockbuster documentaries, or 'docbusters' such as March of the Penguins and Amy are playing to packed cinemas, and prominent figures from the world of feature films are getting involved in creating and producing documentaries. This influx of talent, ideas and money has in many ways reinvigorated the modern documentary, however some would argue that it has also dragged the genre away from its observational, journalistic roots. Our panel will discuss the creative and economic impact of this phenomenon, and will ask whether the 'dramatisation' of documentaries is a natural and welcome evolution of the genre, or just another form of 'fake news'.