Understanding The Western Perspective In The Process Of Decolonialism Through Documentary Films Influenced By Orientalism

The strengths of documentary cinema in depicting cultural, social and historical issues and the responsible use of this power are among the leading debates in the field of cinema. In particular, the representation of Eastern cultures in documentaries is addressed as distorted through orientalist stereotypes and prejudices. In this study, feature films that won awards at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) were examined, and 13 films about Eastern societies were selected as a sample and analyzed in terms of orientalist representations. The research presents findings on how the awarding criteria at IDFA have been based on orientalist representations over time. This study aims to raise awareness of orientalist representations and contribute to decolonialism studies.