Dokumentarna

Dokumentarna is a feminine adjective meaning "documentary" used in several South Slavic languages, including Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and Slovenian, to describe documentary works or to modify feminine nouns. Its masculine counterpart is dokumentarni and its neuter form is dokumentarno. The term is commonly attached to nouns denoting media products, such as emisija (documentary program), serija (documentary series), or knjiga (documentary book). In practice, the word functions as a label for non-fiction media that presents factual information about real people, events, or places.

In film and television, dokumentarna denotes works that aim to document reality rather than to fictionalize it. Typical features include the use of interviews, archival footage, observational filming, and voice-over narration. While most dokumentarna productions strive for factual accuracy, many incorporate editorial interpretation, framing, or context to inform and sometimes persuade viewers.

Historically, documentary-style media emerged in the early 20th century and diversified into a range of formats, including feature-length documentaries, short factual pieces, investigative reports, and docudramas. Today, dokumentarna productions appear across cinema, broadcast, and streaming platforms, often organized as standalone films, series, or episodic reports.

See also: documentary film; non-fiction television; investigative journalism.