The outsider’s gaze in documentary: is a decolonial approach to ‘Otherness’ a possibility?

Abstract

This thesis explores the ethics of filming in a community to which the documentarian does not belong. The study enquires whether, in spite of an outsider’s gaze, a decolonial approach to ‘otherness’ in documentary is a possibility. This is done by dissecting the objectifying practices within visual technologies that have historically created ‘otherness’ in the first place, touching upon concepts such as hegemony, the creation of the Self and the Other, the gaze, representation, and stereotypes. Decolonial thought(s) offer insightful clues for the dilemma of authoriality and entitlement to film the Other, as well as potential decolonial approaches to apply to documentary. To illustrate some of the decolonial approaches, ethnographic documentaries by Safi Faye, Trinh T. Minh-Ha and Stephanie Spray will be analysed.