multidokumenters

Multidokumenters is a term used in some Nordic media and documentary discourse to describe a documentary approach that foregrounds documents as the primary source material and structural backbone of the work. In English, it is often referred to as multi-documentaries or document-rich documentaries. The central idea is to build meaning through the presentation, comparison, and interpretation of a wide range of documents—such as government records, corporate files, memos, emails, legal filings, press clippings, and data sets—rather than relying primarily on a single narrator or interview-driven arc.

Characteristics commonly associated with multidokumenters include a reliance on source documents for evidence and narrative progression, meticulous sourcing and annotation, and a presentation that invites viewers to assess documents directly. Production workflows typically involve extensive archival research, transcription and digitization, document clustering, and sometimes data visualization or timelines to reveal patterns, discrepancies, or processes that are not easily conveyed by spoken narration alone.

This approach is often applied to investigative or historical topics, including scrutinies of publicly funded institutions, corporate conduct, or social issues where documentary evidence can illuminate causality and accountability. Benefits include enhanced transparency, credibility, and audience engagement with primary sources. Challenges involve access to material, legal and ethical considerations, the risk of selective editing, and the demand on viewers to interpret complex evidence.

See also: documentary film, archival film, found footage, data journalism, transparency in media.