El documental de Robert J. Flaherty

Abstract

The documentaries of Robert Flaherty

The study of the work of documentary makers offers ample opportunity for learning and reflection. In this regard, the work of R. J. Flaherty, a pioneer in the field of documentaries, satisfies our expectations. This article proposes an approach to the aesthetic and narrative elements in Flaherty's work, based on three of his works: Nanook of the North, Man of Aran and Louisiana Story. On an aesthetic level, the images in these documentaries focus on two important aspects of his work: the directing and the editing. Flaherty, through careful direction, reconstructs the facts that he had discovered during the period of documentation. He also uses the movements of the camera, along with the editing, to contruct the narrative progression. In general, he was interested in showing the relationship between human beings and nature, exploiting the dramatic tension which many scenes provided. He brings the viewer close to his subject through the experiences and emotions of the protagonists and makes certain aspects of daily life the key to the film's progress. Flaherty has been criticized for his way of narrating, bordering on fiction. His direction has been questioned, on the one hand, for introducing unreal elements, and on the other, for the dangerous situations to which his protagonists are exposed in his documentaries.