The Lens Reflected: Research Findings on Diversity in Documentary Revealed

In 2014, the streaming age of documentary storytelling began when Netflix licensed The Square, and since then, thousands of films have been distributed across a broader array of platforms than ever before. But what stories, storytellers, and points of view are reflected in the nonfiction stories that audiences see, even as outlets have expanded?

In a first-of-its-kind study, the Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI) reveals the racial and gender diversity of documentary directors and primary protagonists across more than 1,200 documentaries distributed between 2014 and 2020, along with the films’ topical focus. The Lens Reflected will be released to the public on December 6th. Please join us for a research briefing facilitated by Kathy Im of the MacArthur Foundation, with two of the study’s leaders, Caty Borum (CMSI) and Sonya Childress (Color Congress). The briefing will cover the report’s major findings, as well as a discussion about how members of the documentary field can use the research in their own field-building work.