“I alter the balance of power by my presence and act on behalf of one side or another in a conflict”
This quote from the director’s statement really stood out to me because as documentarians, we must acknowledge our agency and power when creating a film. One can easily become a catalyst to a movement or even as simple as someone’s story when it comes to getting it out to the masses. At the end of the day, however, we must understand that creating a documentary isn’t just about making a career or obtaining royalties, it’s about stories that matter and educating those to understand why it matters. That should be in the back of every filmmaker’s head when making a doc or else what’s the point of creating it? If you’re not passionate about the cause, the story, or the issue, then why put so much time and energy in something just to profit off of it yourself and leave the cause helpless? This is how one can abuse their power as a documentarian, so it’s really important that Kirsten Johnson said this because it gives her a sense of trust from the audience.