Some of the most intriguing films being made today are those that engage with the world-whether the world of ideas or of social and political realities. Documentary films ignite discussion, open our minds, expand our worlds, and do so in aesthetically innovative forms-from interview, essay, and collage films to works that use elements of fiction. While a few make it to local theaters, the majority do not. We are eager to share with you this neglected tradition of cinema. With Documentary Voices, a new project, we will bring international documentary filmmakers to the Bay Area as resident artists at PFA. Over the next two years, we will explore the rich diversity of documentary filmmaking worldwide through the words and cinema of some of its most exciting practitioners.
Thom Andersen, a filmmaker, historian, critic, and polemicist, is the first artist in this series. During his residency, June 3 through June 8, he will...