https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/R_STTTThis course focuses on truth and (visual) evidence in documentary film and court proceedings. More concretely, we explore the truth regimes of documentary film and court proceedings and study what happens when the two meet. Upon completion of the course, students can: Recognize, understand and compare the functions of truth-telling in documentary film and court proceedings.Analyse how visual evidence is used in both contexts.Critically reflect on the representation of legal proceedings in documentary film.Use film to study law and court cases. The course specifically focuses on international courts and tribunals but the core questions apply to national contexts too.The course revolves around four main questions: (a) What are the functions of truth telling in documentary film and court proceedings? How is (visual) evidence used in both contexts? We will discuss these questions on the basis of a concrete cases before international courts and documentary films about related topics. (b) What happens when film footage is used as evidence in a court case? How do truth claims shift? How can primarily artistic products such as documentary films be transformed into legal evidence, and how does this differ from the use of other types of visual evidence? Again, we will discuss these questions in relation to a concrete case. The function of truth in court is primarily geared towards a decision, and thus sets boundaries to what counts as relevant and what is out of order. In addition, court cases are pre-structured through rules of evidence and procedure, determining what counts as reliable (visual) evidence. Finally, truth in court is most of all articulated verbally. Documentary film, on the other hand, can be used to tell a multitude of truths and knows numerous ways to present and combine different types of evidence. It can leave questions undecided and allows for ambiguity. What is more, documentaries not only tell a truth, they most of all show a truth. In the course, students are trained to recognize and understand the differences and overlap between these truth and evidence regimes of (documentary) film and law.Interactive lectures; film screenings; and group discussion.Three short assignments that compare the use of visual materials in court cases and documentary film. The assignments include written and visual components (such as essays, storyboards, film clips etc.)See course manual published on Canvas.Apart from regular students, the course is also available for:Students from other universities/facultiesContractor (students who pay for one course)The course is part of the minor ‘Visual Evidence’. The course is open for everyone.Not requiredNot applicable. No specific knowledge in the field of law and/or film is required.Canvas is the main communication platform of the course.