Multidocumentaries

Multidocumentaries are documentary works that construct their narratives primarily from a diverse array of documents rather than relying on a single source or solely on observational footage. In this approach, archives, government records, letters, diaries, newspapers, photographs, film and digital files, and other primary materials are collected, curated, and juxtaposed to illuminate a topic. The central argument is often derived from analysis and synthesis of these sources, with the relationship between documents clarified through narration, captions, graphics, and expert commentary.

Typical methods include the identification and organization of sources around key themes or questions, the use of on-screen text and captions to attribute and contextualize documents, and the integration of documentary evidence with interviews or voiceover that interprets the sources. This mode is common in historical, investigative, and public affairs filmmaking, as well as in academic or museum-oriented video projects. The multidocumentary aims to demonstrate evidentiary basis and encourage critical engagement by showing how conclusions emerge from multiple records, while also highlighting gaps, biases, or conflicting accounts within the source material. Challenges include ensuring authenticity and provenance, avoiding selective presentation, managing copyright and access, and communicating complex evidence clearly to viewers. In practice, multidocumentaries can function as transparent, source-driven explorations that foreground documentary evidence as the backbone of argument and narrative.