The Essay Film: A Filmmaker’s Guide to the 25 Most Asked Questions

1. What is an essay film?

An essay film is not a genre with fixed rules, but an approach to cinema. It merges documentary techniques with experimental tools—voice-over narration, montage editing, personal cinematography—to explore a subject from a subjective perspective. Unlike mainstream films, which are often created by committee, essay films reflect a singular vision. They are closer to written essays: explorations of a theme from a personal, unconventional point of view.

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2. What are the main characteristics of an essay film?

Essay films are marked by subjectivity and authorship. They reject objectivity, instead foregrounding the filmmaker’s unique perspective. Common features include:
•    First-person narration or commentary
•    Use of archival or found material
•    Documentary-style aesthetics combined with experimental techniques
•    A postmodern stance that embraces multiple truths

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3. How is an essay film different from a documentary?

Documentaries typically strive for objectivity, presenting “facts” about the world. Essay films, on the other hand, reject neutrality. They openly acknowledge subjectivity, often blurring the line between fact and interpretation. Where a documentary might ask, What happened?, an essay film asks, What does this mean to me?

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4. How is an essay film different from a video essay?

The distinction today is blurred. Many works that could be called essay films circulate on YouTube and Vimeo as “video essays.” Generally, however:
•    A video essay feels like an academic exercise or online commentary, often made for niche audiences.
•    An essay film is positioned as cinema, intended to be received as an artistic work with cultural weight.

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5. Are essay films fiction or nonfiction?

They lean toward nonfiction, but often integrate fictional or staged elements. At their best, essay films destabilize the boundary between the two, making the viewer question what counts as “truth.”

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6. How do you make an essay film?

The only essential ingredient is an idea. Some essay films are heavily scripted, others discovered in editing. You might use a camera, archival footage, animation, or even only sound. The key is to explore your subject with the freedom of an essayist—developing a personal argument in cinematic form.

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7. What techniques are common in essay films?
•    First-person narration
•    Montage editing
•    Archival or found footage
•    Mixing media (film, photography, text, sound)
•    Handheld, subjective camerawork
•    Juxtaposition to create meaning rather than “telling”

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8. Who are notable essay film directors?

The most famous is Chris Marker, whose Sans Soleil (1983) remains the defining example of the form. Other key figures include Agnès Varda, Harun Farocki, Jean-Luc Godard.

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9. What are some famous essay films?
•    Sans Soleil (Chris Marker, 1983)
•    F for Fake (Orson Welles, 1973)
•    The Gleaners and I (Agnès Varda, 2000)
•    Los Angeles Plays Itself (Thom Andersen, 2003)

And, more recently, my own The Invention of Chris Marker (2020), which explores Marker’s digital afterlife, and my upcoming film “My Sister Shira”.​

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10. What are the best essay films to watch?

If you’re starting out, go straight to Chris Marker. His works (Sans Soleil, Cuba Si) remain touchstones of the form. Agnès Varda’s The Gleaners and I is another essential entry point. Beyond these classics, seek out curated lists online, but remember: the form is broad and subjective. Watching widely is the best way to understand its possibilities.

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11. What was the first essay film ever made?

There isn’t a single “first.” Elements of the essayistic—voice-over, commentary, juxtaposition—can be found as far back as early cinema. Some scholars trace it to 1920s avant-garde works; others point to later films in the 1940s–50s. The truth is, the essay film evolved gradually, not from a single origin.

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12. Why is it called an essay film?

Because, like a written essay, it explores a subject through personal reflection. The filmmaker takes a stance, experiments with form, and leads the audience through an intellectual and emotional journey. It is “essayistic” in the truest sense—an attempt, an exploration, a meditation.

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13. Is the essay film a genre or a style?

It is best described as a style or approach, not a fixed genre. Genres have clear conventions; essay films exist on a spectrum, overlapping with documentary, experimental, and even fiction. What unites them is attitude: a personal vision expressed cinematically.

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14. What is the purpose of an essay film?

The purpose is to convey a subjective truth. Essay films make no claim to universal objectivity; instead, they invite us into the filmmaker’s perspective, asking us to see the world through their eyes.

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15. Can an essay film include fictional elements?

Absolutely. Many essay films blur fiction and nonfiction. Staged reenactments, scripted sequences, or performative gestures are often included. The power of the form lies in its freedom to mix modes.

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16. Do essay films have a narrative or a plot?

Yes—but not in the Hollywood sense. Think of it more like the structure of a poem or meditation. Essay films often unfold associatively, through themes, moods, or ideas, rather than the strict three-act arc of mainstream cinema.

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17. Do essay films always use narration or voice-over?

No. While voice-over is common, many essay films rely on text, imagery, or sound design instead. The “voice” of an essay film can be visual, written, or even implied.

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18. What is the difference between an essay film and an experimental film?

Experimental films can be purely abstract—color studies, shapes, or rhythm. Essay films, by contrast, always center on a subject. They may use experimental techniques, but they anchor them in an argument, idea, or theme.

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19. Where can I watch essay films?
•    Film festivals (many essay films premiere in festival circuits)
•    Streaming platforms like Criterion Channel, MUBI, or DocAlliance
•    Vimeo and YouTube (many contemporary makers share work online)
•    Cinematheques and retrospectives dedicated to essay filmmakers

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20. Who coined the term “essay film”?

The phrase emerged gradually in the mid-20th century. French critics began to describe certain works—especially those of Chris Marker—as film-essai. There isn’t one official “coiner,” but the label stuck because it captured the hybrid form so well.

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21. Why is Orson Welles’s F for Fake considered an essay film?

Because it takes a documentary subject—art forgery—and explores it in a highly personal, self-reflexive way. Welles constantly reminds us that truth is relative, constructing and deconstructing his own narrative. That embrace of subjectivity and play with authenticity is at the heart of the essay film.

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22. Is Chris Marker known for essay films?

Yes—he is the central figure of the form. Marker’s Sans Soleil is consistently listed among the greatest documentaries ever made, yet it is quintessentially essayistic. Across more than 60 films, his blend of commentary, montage, and philosophical exploration set the template for generations of filmmakers.

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