Docufiction (ordocu-fiction) is the cinematographic combination ofdocumentary andfiction, this term often meaningnarrative film. It is afilm genre[1] which attempts to capture reality such as it is (asdirect cinema orcinéma vérité) and which simultaneously introduces unreal elements or fictional situations innarrative in order to strengthen the representation of reality using some kind ofartistic expression.[2]
More precisely, it is a documentary mixed with fictional elements,[3] inreal time, filmed when the events take place, and in which themain character or characters—often portrayed by non-professional or amateur actors—are essentially playing themselves, or slightly fictionalized versions of themselves, in a fictionalized scenario. In this sense, docufiction may overlap to an extent with some aspects of themockumentary format, but the terms are not synonymous.
Theneologism docufiction[4] appeared at the beginning of the 21st century. It is now commonly used in several languages and widely accepted for classification by international film festivals.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
The term involves a way of making films already practiced by such authors asRobert J. Flaherty, one of the fathers of documentary,[14][15] andJean Rouch, later in the 20th century.
In the domain ofvisual anthropology, the innovating role of Jean Rouch[25] allows one to consider him as the father of a subgenre calledethnofiction.[26][27] This term means:ethnographic documentary film with natives who play fictional roles. Making them play a role about themselves will help portray reality, which[28] will be reinforced withimagery. A non-ethnographicdocumentary with fictional elements uses the same method and, for the same reasons, may be called docufiction.
In contrast,docudrama is usually a dramatized recreation of factual events in form of a documentary, at a time subsequent to the "real" events it portrays.[29] Whiledocudrama can be confused withdocufiction, "docudrama" refers specifically to film or other television recreations that dramatize certain events, often with actors.[citation needed]
Amockumentary is also a film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format, sometimes a recreation of factual events after they took place or a comment oncurrent events, typically satirical, comedic or even dramatic.[30] Whereas mockumentaries are usually fully scripted comedies or dramas that merely adopt some aspects of documentary format as a framing device, docufictions are usually not scripted, instead placing the participants in a fictionalized scenario while portraying their own genuine reactions and their ownimprovisational dialogue and character development.
^Jean Rouch and the Genesis of Ethnofiction, thesis by Brian Quist, Long Island University
^"Ethnofiction: drama as a creative research practice in ethnographic film." Journal of Media Practice 9, no. 3(2008), eScholarID:1b5648, article by Johannes Sjöberg
^A television programme or film which takes the form of a serious documentary in order to satirize its subject. – definition at The Free Dictionary and Dictionary.com
^Note, however, that Flaherty's earlier film,Nanook of the North from 1922, incorporates many docufiction elements, including the "casting" of locals into fictitious "roles" and family relationships, as well as anachronistic hunting scenes
^Biggs, Andrew (July 21, 2019)."What's past is prologue".Bangkok Post.Archived from the original on 2023-10-11. RetrievedNovember 17, 2024.pseudo-documentary
^French, Philip (20 July 2013)."Tabu".The Guardian.
(in English)Rosenthal, Alan (199).Why Docudrama? : Fact-Fiction on Film and TV. Carbondale & Edwardsville: Southern Illinois Press.ISBN978-0-8093-2186-5.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
(in English)Lipkin, Steven N., ed. (2002).Real Emotional Logic. Film and Television Docudrama As Persuasive Practice. Carbondale: Southern Illinois Press.ISBN978-0-8093-2409-5.
Media related toDocufiction at Wikimedia Commons