Documentary and the city: representing fragments, forming views

Abstract

The video documentary enables the formation of understanding and approximations to the cities by being a method of approaching the urban dynamics and also its expression. This article discusses and reflects on the use of audiovisual, in general, and documentary, in particular, as a medium that broadens and contributes to the understanding of the city. Therefore, we bring to this context the results of the short course “Documentary and the city: critical thinking and experimentation”, carried out through a collaboration between the Graduate Program of Architecture and Urbanism, Institute of Architecture and Urbanism, University of São Paulo, and the Graduate Program in Science, Technology and Society, Federal University of São Carlos, under the guidance of Professors Marcelo Tramontano and Arthur Autran, respectively. The documentaries produced by the participants are available for viewing at the end of this article, kindly provided by its filmmakers. By enabling perspectives and representations of the world, the documentary gives support to the understanding of urban dynamics, as well as provides opportunities to rethink the academic work, scientific divulgation and relations between Academy and Society and, finally, to promote a self-examination of the researcher-documentarist by the city.