Joint program revisits Direct Cinema and Cinema Verite through landmark works

A scene from Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin’s "Chronicle of a Summer" (DMZ Docs)
A scene from Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin’s "Chronicle of a Summer" (DMZ Docs)

The DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs) announced Tuesday it is teaming up with Seoul Art Cinema to present "Museum of Reality: Innovations in Documentary of the 1960s-70s," a special screening series running Friday to May 4.

Held on weekends at Seoul Art Cinema in Jung-gu, Seoul, the three-week program will feature 10 feature-length documentaries rooted in direct cinema and cinema verite — landmark movements that helped reshape the genre through their emphasis on spontaneity and everyday realism.

Among the list are Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin’s "Chronicle of a Summer" (1961), widely credited with pioneering interview techniques central to modern documentary, and Chris Marker and Pierre Lhomme’s "The Lovely Month of May" (1963). American entries include Robert Drew’s seminal works "Primary" (1960) and "Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment" (1963), renowned for bringing journalistic immediacy to political subjects.

A scene from "1 P.M." by Richard Leacock and D.A. Pennebaker (DMZ Docs)
A scene from "1 P.M." by Richard Leacock and D.A. Pennebaker (DMZ Docs)

The lineup also features works from Drew Associates, a documentary collective founded by Robert Drew that championed Direct Cinema in the US. Highlights include Richard Leacock and D.A. Pennebaker’s "1 P.M." (1971), which grew out of an unfinished collaboration with Jean-Luc Godard, Pennebaker’s "Don’t Look Back" (1967), and the Maysles brothers’ "Salesman" (1969) and "Grey Gardens" (1976).

A scene from Barbara Kopple’s "Harlan County U.S.A." (DMZ Docs)
A scene from Barbara Kopple’s "Harlan County U.S.A." (DMZ Docs)

Barbara Kopple’s Oscar-winning "Harlan County U.S.A." (1976) follows a coal miners’ strike in Kentucky, while "Acadia, Acadia?!?" (1971) by Michel Brault and Pierre Perrault explores questions of identity and cultural autonomy in Canada’s Acadian region.

“In an era marked by war and deepening social divides, the creative force of documentary filmmaking feels more relevant than ever. Documentaries of the 1960s and ’70s can serve as a vital compass for understanding the world we live in,” said Kang Jin-seok, programmer at DMZ Docs.

The program includes four post-screening discussions after "Acadia, Acadia?!?" Saturday, "Harlan County U.S.A." Sunday and both "Chronicle of a Summer" and "1 P.M." April 27.

Tickets are available at 9,000 won per screening through the Seoul Art Cinema website.


moonkihoon@heraldcorp.com