While there’s no denying the box-office success of science fiction films, it’s also true that Netflix offers an ever-growing selection of documentaries. Gerardo Castelli, academic coordinator of ORT’s Bachelor’s Degree in Communication with a focus on Audiovisual Studies, shares his thoughts on this topic.
In an age of information overload, misinformation, and a flood of fake news—and, consequently, a skeptical and cynical media consumer—changes and transformations are taking place in the way audiovisual content is consumed.
In an interview for Del Sol’s radio program *Fácil desviarse* in July 2020, Argentine film, theater, and television director and screenwriter Néstor Montalbano spoke about how the internet age and cyber globalization have created a “mix of cultures” that makes it difficult to “maintain one’s own roots” and, as a result, nothing surprises the viewer anymore, who now seeks only realism.
“That’s why people are watching a lot of documentaries, especially young people, because they’re drawn to the realism of it. There’s a part of them that doesn’t believe. They don’t believe in movies; they don’t believe in much of anything,” the director explained at the time.
Regarding these statements, the academic coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in Communication with a focus on Audiovisual Studies at Universidad ORT Uruguay, Gerardo Castelli, believes that it is true that more people are watching documentaries, mainly young people. “It is more debatable whether this is due to the decline in cinema. Documentaries are cinema, so I would lean more toward whether they believe in fiction or not,” he says.
People are watching a lot of documentaries these days, especially young people, because they're drawn to the realism of it all.
Néstor Montalbano
The documentary as a reflection of reality
According to Castelli, fiction presents plausible scenarios that are not necessarily realistic, and there is also a certain tendency to create hyper-realistic films that are far removed from our reality.
“There may be more people watching documentaries and looking for a kind of reflection of their own lives, situations, and problems—something you can’t find in a science fiction movie,” Castelli notes.
Beyond that, the coordinator points out, we cannot dismiss fiction films, because there are still blockbuster science fiction movies today, such as The Avengers, The Fast and the Furious, and Avatar, among others.
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"Even though these feature films are far from realistic, audiences—who are often young—end up giving them the credibility that leads to those blockbuster box office numbers," explains the academic coordinator.
Castelli, who also teaches a course on social documentary filmmaking, admits that he has found no evidence to suggest that young people are more interested in realistic documentaries than in fiction.
However, it does indicate that students have recently been turning more to web content, social media, and TV series, while interest in television programming has declined. Meanwhile, those with prior knowledge tend to prefer “the traditional, the picturesque, and content that tells a story.”
Documentaries on Netflix
“In the past, opportunities to watch documentaries were much more limited. Perhaps, given the oversaturation of fiction, there’s a need to turn to documentaries as an anchor to reality—to find stories in which we feel represented.”
“It’s a type of alternative content that Netflix has started recommending to its customers more regularly,” says Castelli. He added that it’s not that younger generations don’t believe in cinema; rather, there is an oversaturation of a certain type of film, and there is a need to connect with reality—although “documentaries don’t necessarily reflect absolute reality.”
When asked about the role of Netflix, the world’s leading online audiovisual content distribution platform, Castelli notes that—regardless of whether this is for better or for worse—it is a major influence on what people watch.
“Netflix has a very broad audience, and its algorithm often leads people to watch things they wouldn’t otherwise watch. Trends and recommendations—whether genuine or manipulated to steer viewers toward what suits the industry—play that role,” he notes. He adds that Netflix has made access to content much more direct and rapid, a service that has transformed the way people consume audiovisual material across all genres.
Festivals as catalysts
Regarding the documentary genre at the national level and its international standing, Castelli believes that the advent of high-quality, much more user-friendly digital cameras—among other tools—has led to budget cuts in more down-to-earth film genres, such as the documentary.
Which, in a country with limited resources for this practice—such as Uruguay—is always an advantage.
Given this oversaturation of fiction, there may be a need to turn to documentaries as an anchor to reality.
Gerardo Castelli
“Since the 2008–2010 period, there has been a growing interest in our country in producing documentaries. In any case, I believe that film festivals serve as a tool to boost this industry, just as they do in other countries that, while not leaders in the field, have made significant progress in this economic sector and have a much smoother path toward reaching the highest level,” he concludes.