To watch Kim Snyder’s documentary Newtown and not feel an ounce of the pain that Newtown felt on December 14th, 2012 would be impossible. While the documentary focuses on the town and victims’ families before, during, and after the shootings it does have an underlying argument for gun control policy changes. Snyder’s ability to form close connections and bonds with the families directly affected by this event allowed for her to show less graphic information but still tell a brutally honest and real story. One of my favorite parts about the film was that the killer was not named. It emphasized Snyder’s desire to keep the documentary about the community.
During the talkback, Snyder talked a lot about ethical dilemmas she faced on more than a daily basis. Snyder believed that graphic reenactments were not necessary sometimes the facial expression of the interviewees were enough to convey the horror. This is similar to Grizzly man where just watching someone listen to his death was enough to understand the tragedy. Overall this documentary is a great case study of ethical dilemmas that documentarians face.
Ultimately, Newtown was successful because of Kim Snyder. She is a caring, compassionate woman who was able to create real relationships with the families and therefore an honest and true documentary.