Is "Fahrenheit 9/11" a Documentary Film, or What is a Documentary Film?

Is "Fahrenheit 9/11" a Documentary Film, or What is a Documentary Film?: "Discussions about Michael Moore's 'Fahrenheit 9/11' have raised questions about what exactly a documentary film is. Does Moore's use of selected images and incidents concerning President George W. Bush, the war on terror, and the invasion of Iraq constitute something other than what we understand to a documentary film to be? What exactly is a documentary film and how has that definition changed over the years? Can a doc have a point of view and still be a doc?
During a panel discussion about telling political stories, at the Nantucket Film Festival just days before the release of 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' panelists debated some of these very issues. The debate has intensified in the mainstream media since the release of Moore's film. indieWIRE asked a number of leading members of the independent film community for their views on the matter. Participants offered their opinions via email and their answers have been grouped below."


by Eugene Hernandez