Subject explores the personal impact of being a ‘character’ in a widely seen documentary. The film interviews the subjects of five now-classic documentaries, all of which contributed to the dramatic expansion of audiences for documentaries in recent years. Directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall check in with the stars of Hoop Dreams, The Staircase, The Wolfpack, The Square, and Capturing the Friedmans as the starting point for an in-depth conversation about the ethics of documentary making. The resulting personal narratives are varied, nuanced and complex and it’s to the film’s credit that it doesn’t draw a moral line in the sand. This highly thought-provoking film is required viewing for both documentary filmmakers and documentary lovers.
Subject
Subject explores the life-altering experience of sharing one’s life on screen through the participants of five acclaimed documentaries.
Awards
Calgary International Film Festival (2022) – Nominated: Best International Documentary
Cleveland International Film Festival (2023) – Nominated: Ad Hoc Docs Competition
Palm Springs International Film Festival (2023) – Nominated: Best Documentary
Thin Line Festival (2023) – Winner: Jury Award – Documentary Impact
Tribeca Film Festival (2022) – Nominated: Best Documentary Feature
Previous Festivals
AFI (2022)
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival (2023)
Camden International Film Festival (2022)
CPH:DOX (2023)
World Premiere: Tribeca Film Festival (2022)
Press
I’d been grappling with the ethics of documentary film-making for a while. I’d seen the participants of my own projects struggle with the process of filming and wanted to better understand the complexities of what it meant to be on screen.
It’s thought-provoking stuff, which also explores our own role, as audience members, in the voracious demand for other people’s stories
[An] insightful ethical exploration. It’s amazing the amount of content ‘Subject’ packs into a tight 90-Minute package...There’s a fluidity and grace to how Hall and Tiexiera dissect everything...Hall and Tiexiera create something incredibly special. A great place to start for getting at the heart of why audiences love the truth of documentary, and what that truth really means.
