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This style questions the authenticity of documentary filmmaking itself, making the audience aware of its constructed nature. Examples: 'Man with a Movie Camera', 'F For Fake'.

Relies heavily on historical or archival footage to tell a story from the past. Examples: 'The Civil War', 'The Atomic Café'.

Focuses on the emotional and subjective aspect of the subject matter, often seen in personal documentaries. Examples: 'The Fog of War', 'Stories We Tell'.

Here, the filmmaker becomes part of the narrative, interacting with subjects and influencing the direction of the documentary. Examples: 'Super Size Me', 'I Am Not Your Negro'.

Centers on a single individual, often using archival footage, interviews, and reenactments. Examples: 'Amy', 'The Last Waltz'.

Resembles investigative journalism, focusing on in-depth stories about a single topic, subject, or story. Examples: 'Making a Murderer', 'The Act of Killing'.

Examines cultures and traditions, seeking to portray them accurately and respectfully. Examples: 'Nanook of the North', 'The Hunters'.

The filmmaker's own story or a subject with personal relevance to the filmmaker is central. Examples: 'Sherman's March', 'Tarnation'.

Designed to promote a specific cause or viewpoint, often related to social justice issues. Examples: 'The Cove', 'Food, Inc.'.

Breaks away from conventional forms, often playing with the medium and narrative structures. Examples: 'Symbiopsychotaxiplasm', 'Waltz with Bashir'.

A mock documentary that satirizes documentary style through fictional events, but presented as reality. Examples: 'This is Spinal Tap', 'Borat'.

A style of documentary filmmaking that combines naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camera work. Examples: 'Chronicle of a Summer', 'Don't Look Back'.

Utilizes rhythms, images, and sounds to convey a mood or tone rather than a logical narrative. Examples: 'Koyaanisqatsi', 'Night and Fog'.

A style where the story evolves through the viewer's participation, usually through digital platforms. Examples: 'Bear 71', 'Hollow'.

Aims to simply observe the subject with as little filmmaker interaction as possible. Examples: 'Primary', 'Grey Gardens'.

Documentaries focusing on rock and roll or popular music personalities or performances. Examples: 'Gimme Shelter', 'Madonna: Truth or Dare'.

A style that aims to inform and persuade, often featuring a narrator who guides the viewer through the narrative. Examples: 'The Plow That Broke the Plains', 'An Inconvenient Truth'.

Focuses on wildlife and natural history, typically using high-quality camera work. Examples: 'Planet Earth', 'The Blue Planet'.

A documentary style that silently observes the subjects without any interaction. Examples: 'High School', 'Salesman'.