Cinema Verite

Cinema Verite is a French word that literally means “true cinema” or “cinema truth.” It’s a method or style of documentary movie-making with long takes, no narration, and little or no directorial or editing control exerted over the finished product. It’s usually made without actors, and often with minimum film equipment, film crew, and impromptu interview techniques. For example, a hand-held camera and portable sound equipment. Cinema verite is sometimes used to loosely refer to a documentary-style film or minimalist cinema.

Cinema verité was popularized in the 1950s French New Wave movement. It is now widely used (often inappropriately) to refer to the popular, artsy trend of using hand-held camera techniques. Cinema verité is also termed free cinema (UK) or direct cinema (UK).