The state of non-fiction film

Documentaries can change the way we see the world, and, in some cases, bring about change themselves. 

The 2013 film “Blackfish” chronicled the treatment of orcas in captivity at SeaWorld. Three years after the film was released, SeaWorld started phasing out all live performances using orcas. 

And the 1988 documentary “The Thin Blue Line” led to the release of a man wrongly convicted of killing a police officer.  

A new documentary has a famous lead. “Will and Harper” is about actor Will Ferrell’s friendship with Harper Steele. It’s in theaters now and streaming Friday on Netflix. 

Nowadays – documentary filmmakers are struggling to fund their projects. They often need a famous name on board to get the greenlight. What does that mean for the art form?