PERFORMATIVE
Tongues Untied
Tongues Untied
Lesson Overview:
The Performative Mode of documentary filmmaking is a style that foregrounds the filmmaker’s personal perspective, emotional experience, and subjective truth. Unlike traditional documentaries that strive for objectivity or observational distance, performative documentaries often blur the lines between fact and fiction, using techniques such as reenactments, poetic narration, direct address, and expressive montage. Students will analyze how these films use embodied storytelling to provoke empathy, challenge dominant narratives, and connect personal stories to broader social, cultural, or political themes. Through a closer look at the work of filmmaker Marlon Riggs, we will critically examine how performative documentaries redefine what truth means in nonfiction cinema.
READ ► Performative Mode Explained
Click the READ NOW button below learn more about the Performative mode, the key features, and some examples.
WATCH ► The Films of Marlon Riggs
Click the WATCH NOW button below to screen this short compilation showcasing the powerful films of Marlon Riggs.
WATCH ► Tongues Untied (1989)
Click the WATCH NOW button below to screen Marlon Riggs' classic 1989 film Tongues Untied which serves as one of the best examples of the performative mode.
QUIZ ► Lesson Materials + Tongues Untied
Click the START NOW button below to complete the quiz for the material included in this lesson.