Director’s Observation as a Focus of Authenticity of Real Events Perception in Contemporary Documentary Cinema

The purpose of the research is to find out the role of the director’s observation in the authenticity of the perception of actual events in contemporary documentary films. Research methodology. The article uses the following methods: analytical – to understand publications on contemporary documentary theory, works by well-known theorists and practitioners; empirical – to study the use of director’s observation in creating an anti-war narrative; communicative audience analysis – to identify viewers’ reactions and responses to documentaries, which allowed us to explore how viewers perceive certain narratives in them and how this can affect their perceptions of global issues. Scientific novelty. The study analyses for the first time the role of the director’s observation as a tool for achieving authenticity in the perception of real events in contemporary documentary cinema, including the impact of interviews as a tool for revealing the inner world of the protagonist and identifying the role of the observation method in creating an anti-war narrative. The article expands the horizons of understanding contemporary audiovisual art and the contribution of the director’s observation to contemporary documentary practice. It clarifies the specifics of using these methods in the context of modern challenges and cultural changes. Conclusions. The director’s observation is identified as a key tool that helps to focus the authenticity of the perception of real events in contemporary documentary cinema. The study of the role of the observation method has shown that objectivity in contemporary documentary cinema is a difficult task due to the subjective point of view of the director. Still, this subjectivity can create a richer, more emotional narrative that is more open to the representation of reality. By analysing the approaches and views of well-known theorists and by examining examples from audiovisual art, the article shows the importance of the director’s observation as a tool that helps bring the viewer closer to the reality of events and also establishes the role of interviews in exploring the inner world of characters.