Quirky Documentaries

Point and ShootMarshall Curry 93 minAbove Us Only SkyMichael Epstein 89 min2018.Fata Morgana and Lessons of Darkness Werner Herzog 75 min and 50 mins1971 What Happened Miss Simone?Liz Garbus102 minsHere are four quirky and somewhat obscure documentaries by noted filmmakers.

Quirky documentaries are not typical documentaries, like, for example, Ken Burns’ PBS films.

Typical documentaries focus on nature, history, art, science, politics, and other classically academic or journalistic subjects.

Quirky documentaries often focus on atypical people and their unusual lives.

Quirky documentary filmmakers, who lean toward crackpot filmmakers, frequently insert personal observations, philosophies, critiques, and wonderment about their subjects—sometimes called “direct cinema.”

A quirky documentary can often be as much about the filmmaker as about the subject of the film. Their content goes deeper than “just the facts” of journalistic documentaries. They can be considered thought-provoking works of art.

Each film in this series will have a short introduction, with a discussion and Q&A after. Seminar Leader is Bob Maier, who is a documentary filmmaker (PBS and others), has published three books on film, was head of the broadcast production department at Gaston College, and started several film discussion groups in the Charlotte area.