Documentaries focusing on the entertainment industry serve as a "creative treatment of actuality," pulling back the curtain on the complex financial and social structures of global media. From Hollywood's role as a global trendsetter to Nollywood's massive economic influence in Africa, these films often highlight societal problems and advocate for social change.
As long as Hollywood continues to produce hits, heartbreaks, and hubris, there will be a camera crew waiting in the wings. The show may go on, but thanks to these documentaries, we finally get to see what happens in the dressing room after the curtain falls.
The turning point came with O.J.: Made in America (2016), which used the spectacle of celebrity and the machinery of fame to examine a deeper societal rot. Since then, streamers have realized that .
If you want to dive deeper, avoid the generic studio-approved documentaries found on the bonus features of a Blu-ray. Look for the independent distributors:
* Directed by Lauren Greenfield * Chronicles the creation of the September issue of Vogue magazine * Profiles editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her team