[ecrea] CfP Special Issue montage AV on Doc Ethics

Ethical Challenges in Documentary Film Practice

Call for Papers, montage AV (25/1/2016)

The representation of others goes hand in hand with the key definition 
of documentary film. At the same time it is linked to the problem of 
documentary ethics. The responsibility of the filmmaker to his subjects 
as well as to his audience is relevant to the social fabric of 
documentary film. Unlike the well-established field of research in the 
United States, Germany still lacks an academic discourse about 
documentary ethics. In Germany, discussions are conducted either by 
filmmakers themselves, in TV stations or on film festivals. The focus of 
our issue of Montage AV, however, wants to take a theoretical stand on 
documentary ethics.

The following issues can be used as impulses for the discussion:

The concept of informed consent leads to the duty of the filmmaker to 
enlighten his subjects about possible consequences of being part of a 
documentary. Is there a legal matter of this concept and where are the 
practical boundaries of it?

Subjects in documentary film can have various roles: they can be 
self-promoters, objects of study or accomplices. What does that mean for 
the filmmaker? What implications arise from this relationship after 
wrapping up filming? Is there any collaboration with the subject during 
filming or in post production? Which obligations has the filmmaker 
towards his own artistic approach and the requirement to entertain his 
audience? Are there subjects documentary filmmakers should avoid to 
offer a platform? Is there a reflection of the communicative and social 
set-up?

Furthermore, is it allowed to mix fictional and documentary material 
without classifying the approach? Are there images that are not 
appropriate when it comes to violence or violation of human rights? Is 
it the filmmaker’s duty to leave the position behind the camera for 
intervention?

We encourage you to consider that there are also ethical implications of 
specific audiences like traumatized people, minorities or religious 
groups. Are there any types of presenting a film that come along with 
ethical issues, for example film presentations in schools or within 
political education? Does the filmmaker have liability towards 
conceptional entities like nature, future generations or the Jewish people?
An important and final questions is: What is the mission of documentary 
film and what is its benefit? Who benefits from the film in personal, 
social, political and economical terms?

We are looking forward to your submission (35.000 characters max.). 
Please take our stylesheet into account 
(http://www.montage-av.de/Stylesheet_fuer_Autoren.pdf).

Don’t hesitate to contact us if there are any questions: Britta Hartmann 
((britta.hart /at/ snafu.de)) or Inga Selck ((i.selck /at/ filmuniversitaet.de))

Submission deadline is Nov 9th, 2015. You can also send it to our 
editorial team address: (montage /at/ snafu.de).

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