cinema screen

An Introduction to Social Documentary

Third Frame Cinema of Social Concern

Unlike the motion pictures that came from Hollywood, the documentary became synonymous with 'reality' and social problems. It was rare to see documentary used to uplift society. Its existence was more to shock and educate than to entertain.

This idealism of the documentary to change the ills of society led to theorists tagging it 'the cinema of social concern'. What does this actually mean?