Barnouw Ch 3 (p 139-185: Bugler and Prosecutor)

Jennings is endlessly fascinating to me. When every nation in the war saw the power and importance of documentaries, many people had the opportunity and funds to make them. It seems they all used a similar motif and felt an urge to convince. Not Jennings. His unrelenting vision to show people as human–no matter what side–helped cultivate love. His films helped people see themselves as God saw them. Consequently, they felt invigorated to keep fighting–to preserve their humanity. That motivation is far more powerful than hate. It is also fascinating that there was one specific environment for which his films were best suited. Sometimes we are built for a time and a space.

How can we unrelentingly show humanity?

How do we make pitches that underscore that delicate humanity?

What are examples of later documentaries that chose to look at people as people?

How have war documentaries changed over the years?

How can we be careful to watch documentaries with an eye for the human even if the artist misses it?