Screening Social Justice
Brave New Films and Documentary Activism
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Duke University Press
Published:21st Mar '23
Should be back in stock very soon
This hardback is available in another edition too:
- Paperback£18.99(9781478019510)
This insightful book examines how Screening Social Justice uses documentary filmmaking to inspire political activism and address social justice issues.
In Screening Social Justice, Sherry B. Ortner delves into the operations of Brave New Films, a nonprofit film production company dedicated to creating documentaries that inspire progressive political activism. Ortner's ethnographic study highlights the commitment of Brave New Films to truth and realism, positioning its work within the broader context of activist documentary filmmaking. This exploration reveals how the company challenges mainstream media narratives, aiming to shed light on critical social justice issues, including capitalism, racism, and the rise of right-wing extremism.
The documentaries produced by Brave New Films are not only informative but also serve as catalysts for grassroots activism. Ortner emphasizes the innovative distribution strategies employed by the company, such as making all films available for free on YouTube. This accessibility allows the films to reach a wider audience and be utilized by various activist and social justice organizations. The emphasis on live screenings further amplifies the impact of the films, creating a communal experience that fosters discussion and action.
Through her detailed examination of both the production process and the screenings, Ortner illustrates how Screening Social Justice serves as a powerful tool for mobilizing individuals toward a better world. The book ultimately underscores the importance of documentary filmmaking in advocating for social change and highlights the potential of alternative media to challenge dominant narratives in society.
"[A] fascinating ethnographic study of a nonprofit production company. . . . Ortner provides extensive research on the history of activist documentary filmmaking. The book’s compelling exploration of the documentary Suppressed: The Fight To Vote reveals how it evokes various emotions during a film screening and examines its call to action. Ortner’s deep dive is so effective in describing the film’s storytelling method that it may inspire readers to seek out Suppressed and other Brave New Films works." -- Anjelica Rufus-Barnes * Library Journal *
"Ortner’s analysis encourages readers to critically assess media accounts and consider the ethical implications of documentary activity. Focusing on bold new films, the book offers valuable insight into the production process, the challenges faced by activist filmmakers, and the strategies they use to effectively convey their message." -- Kaniphnath Malhari Kudale * Social Identities *
"Screening Social Justice is not a traditional study of film. What makes this book particularly valuable is Ortner’s interrogation of terms such as truth, affect, and agency in the context of documentary film. For some 23 years BNF has produced films on a wide range of topics—including the war on democratic governance, systematic racism, xenophobia, and the abuses of capitalism—and Ortner introduces the reader to the company’s corpus. She concludes by addressing the notion of impact, which is arguably one of the driving forces in the renaissance of documentary filmmaking in the first decades of the 21st century. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals."
-- G. R. Butters Jr. * Choice *
"Ortner’s book is a good piece of media anthropology that helps us understand the backstage of a socially committed documentary production company. Such works are fundamental to help us think that films can help change the world but not without much work and effort." -- Marta Corrêa Machado * European Journal of Communication *
"A fascinatingly immersive study. . . ." -- Howard Lune * Contemporary Sociology *
ISBN: 9781478016861
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 386g
160 pages