Notes from the Reel World

I ended my last Notes , back in August of last year, by writing that these are treacherous times for documentary film and all truth-seeking art. It is

Dear IDA Community, At the time of writing, there has been a recent spate of momentous elections in the U.S., Taiwan, India, Mexico, France, Georgia

In these first couple of months as IDA’s executive director, a few lines by the cultural thinker Paul Gilroy have been on my mind. They indicate, for me, something of the purpose of documentary filmmaking.

In these first couple of months as IDA’s executive director, a few lines by the cultural thinker Paul Gilroy have been on my mind. They indicate, for me, something of the purpose of documentary filmmaking.

We are thrilled for the return of Documentary Magazine. For the past 42 years, it has served as a space for dialogue, provocation, and an archive of the documentary form’s power, persistence, and evolution. We want to give thanks to Tom White—who gave shape to the magazine for 22 years—alongside a devoted community of readers and contributors for getting us to this milestone. The magazine was paused for nearly a year following his departure, and issue #2 is presented with Abby Sun as its editor. Abby’s curiosity and intellect are boundless, and we join all of you in anticipation of what future issues will bring.

Dear Documentary Community, In 2014 I participated in a “Here’s What Really Happened” session at IDA’s first Getting Real Conference. I was invited by

Dear Documentary Community, Just over a year ago, I began my tenure as IDA’s first Latinx executive director. I accepted the position hoping to