Reading assignment of The Uncertainty of Documentarism
1. Steyerl talks about how the “unbroken belief” of the documentary form is challenged. How are Steyerl’s ideas about truth and fiction represented and expressed in Abbas Kiarostami’s film? How does truth inform the fiction in Close up? How might fiction inform the truth?
Steyerl argues that “Paradoxically, documentary images are so powerful because there is no more unbroken belief in their truth.” in the article The Uncertainty of Documentarism.
He implies that the line between truth and fiction is becoming increasingly blurred. It can be shown in Abbas Kiarostami’s film. Taking Close up as an example, this film uses the method of documentary to tell a story about an unemployed painter posing as a famous director, gaining the trust of rich people, borrowing money from them to make a film, and being caught at last. Even though the film is shot in a way that makes it look like a documentary, we can’t confirm that the story is true. This allows the work to strike a delicate balance between truth and fiction. Abbas Kiarostami’s films, not just Close up show theory of Steyerl: the truth of contemporary documentary lies in their impression. They are perfectly true documents of that general uncertainty, so to speak. They reflect the precarious nature of contemporary lives as well as the uneasiness of any representation. So by telling fictional stories through the use of documentary filmmaking, truth informs the fiction in Close up.
I think it is hard for fiction to inform the truth because the fictional form of expression makes its own credibility is greatly reduced. Truth means reliable to some extent. But maybe using fiction to show something that is accepted as true by the public can work.
2. What is the significance of the authenticity and representation of the truth in the media that you consume on a daily basis? What is the role of a live broadcast?
From my perspective, the significance of the authenticity and representation of the truth in the media that you consume on a daily basis is authoritative news and news and the various forms in which news is delivered TV shows, news feeds on mobile phones. I think the role of a live broadcast is to reflect the truth constantly. Since it can’t be edited, it is reliable to show what is happening outside. Although the angle can be controlled artificially, it is still one of the most reliable ways to show the truth.