The Spaces Between Grassroots Documentary ... - Ezra Winton

Eventually the Caucus became the Documentary Organization of Canada 14 with
chapters developed across the country. DOC “is a national non-profit professional and
advocacy organization dedicated to supporting the art of independent documentary
filmmaking and filmmakers in Canada.” (www.docorg.ca) The organization has been
active for the last three decades in lobbying the government on behalf of documentary,
but much like the academics writing on cinema in Canada, members have focused on
production, until recent years, where efforts are shifting toward challenging the pigeon-
holing of documentary into television broadcast, arguing for feature-length
documentaries to be supported for wide distribution and theatrical exhibition.
Other percolations in the activism/advocacy area emerged through the NFB’s
Challenge for Change program, a nexus for politically-minded filmmakers and
documentary supporters, (more on the program follows in the chapter). Societé Nouvelle,
the Francophone version of Challenge for Change, was celebrated for the creation of
Vidéographe, which opened its doors on St. Denis in 1971 and became the physical
space for grassroots distribution and exhibition of social-justice documentaries in Quebec
for the decades to follow. From Fondation-Langlois: “Vidéographe’s original mandate
was to investigate three hypotheses: citizens have something to say; video can give them
the means; and there is a public for video.” (2) Vidéographe began to set up production
and distribution programs and to present screenings of its own productions. Currently,
Vidéographe has three main departments that continue to promote these original
principles.” 15 This offshoot of Challenge for Change epitomizes the type of grassroots d/e
14
In the spirit of disclosure, the author of this thesis sits on the Executive Board of the
Documentary Organization of Canada – Quebec chapter.
15
From: http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/e/page.php?NumPage=258, accessed July 10th,
2007
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