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Whispers in documentary films
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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
Electronic archive copy is available via Aalto Thesis Database.
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en
Pages
34
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Yes
This thesis investigates the use “whispers” as a narrative strategy in documentaries, particularly when dealing with socially and politically sensitive themes and restrictive environments. In this context whispers serve as an umbrella term that refers to subtle, nuanced storytelling techniques that let filmmakers to convey powerful stories without making overt statements. This study examines how filmmakers who operate in environments characterized by restrictions, trauma and violence can employ this narrative strategy to create a dynamic space where subtlety, secrecy, silence, and subtext form a language of survival, resistance, and ideally transformation.
The study analysis three films such as Measures of Distance, I Am Trying to Remember, and A Night of Knowing Nothing and focuses on how techniques such as personal archives, voiceovers restrained portrayals of violence, and hidden visual cues enable stories to be shared in nuanced yet impactful ways. These “whispers” go beyond aesthetic choices, serving as powerful tools for resilience and resistance, allowing filmmakers to document complex, layered narratives without compromising on political impact.
The thesis opens the development process of A Night That Took Everything, a film developed with several constraints, utilizing strategies like fictionalized letters and collaborative storytelling among others to balance artistic vision with political limitations. By employing whispers this work shows how filmmakers can create spaces for marginalized voices to be heard and remembered, transforming documentary cinema into a form of quiet resistance. Ultimately, this study asserts that whispers in documentary filmmaking is a powerful strategy for storytellers to convey profound truths, fostering empathy and awareness while honoring the dignity and resilience of oppressed communities
Description
Supervisor
Delgado Pereira, ArturoThesis advisor
Gulati, ShilpiDelgado Pereira, Arturo