--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is interesting to me about film, and…" description: "\"What is interesting to me about film, and documentary film in particular, is that I can write about these people, and you trust my judgment, more or le..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/lawrence-wright-5166_cinema_what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and_2480861.jpg" --- # What is interesting to me about film, and documentary film… ![“What is interesting to me about film, and documentary film in particular, is that I can write about these people, and you trust my judgment, more or less, but when you're confronted yourself with humans who are right there on the screen telling you their story, you make a judgment yourself that is…” quote by Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/lawrence-wright-5166_cinema_what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and_2480861.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/lawrence-wright-5166_cinema_what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and_2480861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/lawrence-wright-5166_cinema_what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and_2480861.jpg) > “What is interesting to me about film, and documentary film in particular, is that I can write about these people, and you trust my judgment, more or less, but when you're confronted yourself with humans who are right there on the screen telling you their story, you make a judgment yourself that is conclusive.” [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights the unique authority and responsibility of documentary filmmakers to judge and present human stories truthfully. **In simple terms:** Documentary creators must judge and convey real stories responsibly. Key Takeaway Approach storytelling with ethical judgment. Themes media ethics storytelling Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - documentary production - journalism - educational videos Key Concepts responsibility subjectivity truth representation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance objectivity and narrative? - What safeguards ensure truthful representation? A Different Perspective Subjectivity can bias portrayal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary/) [Documentary Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/documentary-film-624293/) [Film Documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-documentary-863086/) [Film Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film-particular-863088/) [Interesting Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-film-863087/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [A documentary film is a great way of helping people understand because, somehow, when one is able to see the people involved, it lends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/a-documentary-film-is-a-great-way-of-helping-people-understand/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [The very first film, documentary that I made, was called 'The First Year.' It was 11 years ago and I followed these five novice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-guggenheim/the-very-first-film-documentary-that-i-made-was-called-the-first-year/) [Davis Guggenheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-guggenheim/) > [A film is not a documentary. And what's wonderful about film is that it's a real provocation for people. I never, ever see film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/a-film-is-not-a-documentary-and-what-s-wonderful-about-film-is-that/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [If you're able to appeal to a broader market, you can make an entertaining narrative film. Whereas a documentary is something that only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-searcy/if-you-re-able-to-appeal-to-a-broader-market-you-can-make-an/) [Nick Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-searcy/) > [A good film is also a documentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-rohmer/a-good-film-is-also-a-documentary/) [Eric Rohmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-rohmer/) > [We exaggerate the difference between documentary and fiction. I think that on some level a fiction film is also a documentary on the actors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/we-exaggerate-the-difference-between-documentary-and-fiction-i-think/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) > [When I started my filmmaking journey 17 years ago, I honestly didn't know what a documentary film was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kaye/when-i-started-my-filmmaking-journey-17-years-ago-i-honestly-didn-t/) [Tony Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kaye/) > [Making an independent documentary film is so hard that usually, the usual model is that your film becomes a model for advocacy, so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hetherington/making-an-independent-documentary-film-is-so-hard-that-usually-the/) [Tim Hetherington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hetherington/) > [Michael Moore announced that his next documentary film will attack the health care industry in America. He's not out to get the pharmaceutical companies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/argus-hamilton/michael-moore-announced-that-his-next-documentary-film-will-attack/) [Argus Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/argus-hamilton/) > [“Idea For A Short Documentary Film Representatives of different food products manufacturers try to open their own packaging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/idea-for-a-short-documentary-film-representatives-of-different-food/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [When you make a documentary film, after many years the only thing you remember is what you put into the film, not what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-yates/when-you-make-a-documentary-film-after-many-years-the-only-thing-you/) [Pamela Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-yates/) > [I am particularly pleased to see that there are so many women working in documentary film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hegedus/i-am-particularly-pleased-to-see-that-there-are-so-many-women-working/) [Chris Hegedus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hegedus/) > [Documentary film is the one place that our people can speak for themselves. I feel that the documentaries that I've been working on have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-obomsawin/documentary-film-is-the-one-place-that-our-people-can-speak-for/) [Alanis Obomsawin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-obomsawin/) > [Every time you are getting ready to make a shot in a documentary film, you are asking yourself questions about your cinematographic approach. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/every-time-you-are-getting-ready-to-make-a-shot-in-a-documentary-film/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [With documentary-film projects, you hope you highlight an area of concern people haven't thought about before. A lot of times, I'm asking myself -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/with-documentary-film-projects-you-hope-you-highlight-an-area-of/) [Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/) ## More by Lawrence Wright > [Every medium has its advantages and weaknesses and there are many things I can put down on paper that I might not be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/every-medium-has-its-advantages-and-weaknesses-and-there-are-many/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [Contempt for men pervades the most obscure strata of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/contempt-for-men-pervades-the-most-obscure-strata-of-our-society/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [Look at what Jimmy Carter did. Look at the risks he took for a country that wasn't his. Israel has benefited unbelievably from that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/look-at-what-jimmy-carter-did-look-at-the-risks-he-took-for-a-country/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [Hubbard set up the Church of Scientology in Hollywood in 1954 for a reason. He understood that celebrity was increasingly a feature of American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/hubbard-set-up-the-church-of-scientology-in-hollywood-in-1954-for-a/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [Religions prosper in large part because of the communities that they create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/religions-prosper-in-large-part-because-of-the-communities-that-they/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [If you have great characters, then your reader becomes emotionally invested in those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/if-you-have-great-characters-then-your-reader-becomes-emotionally/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [“However, twelve former Sea Org members told me that Miscavige had assaulted them; twenty-one have told me or testified in court that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/however-twelve-former-sea-org-members-told-me-that-miscavige-had/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [I don't want to constantly be writing about terrorism and strife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/i-don-t-want-to-constantly-be-writing-about-terrorism-and-strife/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [The Israelis and the Palestinians don't know each other. They live right there, but they've become strangers. And it makes it much more difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/the-israelis-and-the-palestinians-don-t-know-each-other-they-live/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [“Miscavige keeps a number of dogs, including five beagles. He had blue vests made up for each of them, with four stripes on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/miscavige-keeps-a-number-of-dogs-including-five-beagles-he-had-blue/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [Every form has its merits. And I like to work in a lot of different forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/every-form-has-its-merits-and-i-like-to-work-in-a-lot-of-different/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [To me the notion that Palestinians are actually Jews is, I think, quite revelatory and very radical and a possible bridge that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/to-me-the-notion-that-palestinians-are-actually-jews-is-i-think-quite/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [Science fiction invites the writer to grandly explore alternative worlds and pose questions about meaning and destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/science-fiction-invites-the-writer-to-grandly-explore-alternative/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [“Undersheriff McClanahan was so worried about the mental health of his investigative team that he assembled a team of psychologists to debrief them. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/undersheriff-mcclanahan-was-so-worried-about-the-mental-health-of-his/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [I was in Austin on 9/11, and there were no flights, so I couldn't get to New York to cover the story, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/i-was-in-austin-on-9-11-and-there-were-no-flights-so-i-couldn-t-get/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) [Explore all 103 Lawrence Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is interesting to me about film, and documentary film in particular, is that I can write about these people, and you trust my judgment, more or less, but when you're confronted yourself with humans who are right there on the screen telling you their story, you make a judgment yourself that is conclusive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lawrence Wright" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and-documentary-film-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cinema" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and-documentary-film-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/lawrence-wright-5166_cinema_what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and_2480861.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/lawrence-wright-5166_cinema_what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and_2480861.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/43f/lawrence-wright-5166_cinema_what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and_2480861.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What is interesting to me about film, and documentary film in particular, is that I can write about these…” — Lawrence Wright", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lawrence Wright", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What is interesting to me about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and-documentary-film-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/what-is-interesting-to-me-about-film-and-documentary-film-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```