What Is Non-Fiction Cinema?

the long version

"In What Is Non-Fiction Cinema? Trevor Ponech has written a serious study of how to define "non-fiction" cinema. Working from the position that no cinematic representation is wholly factual, Ponech argues that what determines whether a film is fiction or nonfiction is what the filmmaker intends. Persuasively defending this unique position, the author provides a philosophically rigorous analysis of the communicative practices of filmmakers. In making his case, Ponech cogently presents major theoretical positions regarding documentary cinema and shows why each is incomplete. The result is a philosophical inquiry into purposiveness in film."--BOOK JACKET.