First person political

Lebow, Alisa (2013) First person political. In: Winston, Brian (ed.) The documentary film book. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp. 257-265. ISBN 9781844573417

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Abstract

Invited to represent the area of first person film studies in this “state of the field” compendium collection, "First Person Political" carves out new territory by defining ‘the political’ in first person film. Originally first person documentary was viewed with suspicion not only for its subjective stance, in direct opposition to the purported objectivity of the documentary, but also for its personal character, undrestood initially as an apolitical or even reactionary position. This essay argues otherwise, by using intriguing examples both historical and contemporary that demonstrate that although first person filmmaking can indeed by self indulgent, there are many cases in which the self is invoked as a subsitute or representative of larger collectivities and indeed political struggles.

Item Type: Book Section
Schools and Departments: School of Media, Film and Music > Media and Film
Subjects: P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN1993 Motion pictures
P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN1993 Motion pictures > PN1995.9.A-Z Other special topics, A-Z
P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN1993 Motion pictures > PN1995.9.A-Z Other special topics, A-Z > PN1995.9.D6 Documentary films
Depositing User: Alisa Lebow
Date Deposited: 18 Sep 2013 13:30
Last Modified: 01 Nov 2013 13:04
URI: http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/46344

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