What is a verite documentary?

Verite documentary, also known as "cinema verite," is a style of documentary filmmaking that emphasizes capturing real-life events as they unfold, without the use of narration, interviews, or other traditional documentary techniques. Instead, the film is edited to create a cohesive narrative from the raw footage, often with the intention of presenting an unbiased, authentic depiction of the events being captured.

Verite documentary filmmakers typically work with small, lightweight cameras and often shoot footage themselves, allowing them to be more flexible and responsive to unfolding events. This allows them to capture intimate, unscripted moments that might be missed by more traditional documentary crews.

Verite documentaries often aim to provide a deeper understanding of the people, issues, or events being depicted, and can be particularly powerful for exploring social and political issues, or for providing an intimate portrait of a person or community. Some examples of verite documentaries include "Salesman," "Gimme Shelter," and "Hoop Dreams."