Shooting Back: Documentary Film in Latin America and the Caribbean - Hardcover

by Christopher L. Ballengee (Author)

Contributions by Rudyard J. Alcocer, Christopher L. Ballengee, Lázaro J. González, Koby Bryan Hansen, Kim Johnson, Shweta Kishore, Sinah Theres Klo , Gabriela Martínez, Thomas Matusiak, María Fernanda Miño, Rachel Moseley-Wood, Bernardo Oliveira, Rupa Pillai, Ana Patricia Rodríguez, Keya Saxena, Lisa Tomlinson, Vuk Vukovic, and Bartosz Wójcik

Shooting Back: Documentary Film in Latin America and the Caribbean brings much-needed critical attention to the documentary and ethnographic filmmaking traditions of Latin America and the Caribbean, regions where fiction cinema has long dominated scholarly discourse. This wide-ranging collection explores the diverse social, cultural, political, and institutional forces that shape nonfiction filmmaking across the hemisphere.

Featuring essays from leading and emerging scholars, the volume examines how documentary and ethnographic films have responded to and influenced political movements, national identity, and cultural memory. Contributors investigate how these films affirm or contest colonial legacies, challenge systems of power and inequality, and reflect ongoing struggles around migration, diaspora, and decolonial thought.

In addition to thematic explorations, Shooting Back delves into the practical realities of filmmaking in the region, from production and distribution to the roles played by educational and governmental institutions. The collection also considers the impact of film festivals, evolving technologies, and transnational networks, offering comparative analyses of key works and filmmakers.

As both a scholarly intervention and an invitation for further research, Shooting Back situates Latin American and Caribbean documentary within broader conversations about global cinema, postcolonial critique, and Global South studies. This volume is an essential resource for film scholars, Latin Americanists, and anyone interested in the political and aesthetic power of nonfiction film.

Author Biography

Christopher L. Ballengee is an ethnomusicologist, filmmaker, and lecturer based in Lublin, Poland. He is director of the feature-length documentary film Sweet Tassa: Music of the Indian Caribbean Diaspora and editor of Music, Sound, and Documentary Film in the Global South.