what is documentary ?

The term ‘documentary’ stems from the verb ‘to document’ – to convey information on the basis of proof and evidence to support it, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. In the realm of films and cinema, a documentary is a film that is an attempt, in one fashion or another, to show reality as it really is.
Another way of defining documentary is the necessity to capture life as it is – as it naturally appears. It needs to be filmed surreptitiously, while the goal is to capture life’s unawareness and natural beauty.
The term has expanded to encompass many additional aspects than its original definition. ‘Documentaries’ was a term used to describe movies shot on film stock, which is a term used to describe the discovery of celluloid – a product much less fragile than the paper film previously used. It has now come to involve video and digital productions, whether for private use, made-for-TV or for the big screen.
The continuing goal of documentaries is to constantly work to identify a film making practice that captures life as it truly is, create a cinematic tradition that remains interesting and lively, and finally, to gain and maintain a connection with the audience.