Cinematic Ethnography - Laurent Van Lancker

Cinematic Ethnography proposes an interdisciplinary approach to filmmaking at the intersection of art, anthropology and cinema. Rejecting the straightforward representational modes typical of visual anthropology and film studies, the book advances a model grounded in collective aesthetics and collaborative production. It examines filmmakers who use sensory and participatory methods to convey diverse forms of knowledge, arguing that allowing cinema itself to shape audiovisual expressions of reality deepens viewers' engagement with what is being evoked. Structured as a dialogic journey, the book invites readers to pause and interact with the author's accompanying films, which illustrate the theories and practices discussed. Written by a practising filmmaker and visual anthropologist, it reimagines cinematic practice not as factual documentation but as a collaborative tool for fostering intercultural dialogue and shared understanding.