cinéma vérité

School of documentary film-making that aims to capture real events and situations as they occur without major directorial, editorial, or technical control. It first came into vogue around 1960 with the advent of lightweight cameras and sound equipment. Notable proponents of the style include the French directors Jean Rouch and Chris Marker.

The US school of cinema vérité, called ‘direct cinema’, used the camera as a passive observer of events. Its main practitioners were Ricky Leacock, D A Pennebaker, and the Maysles Brothers.