Docufiction?

Not to be confused with a mockumentary.

This isn't something we covered in class, but I came across it when I was (gasp) doing a bit of extra-curricular research on literary journalism.

Docufiction is apparently films' answer to literary features. Although this is where I get a little confused, because one of the main literary journalism features is that is needs to be accurate. The 'fiction' in docufiction seems to imply otherwise.

As I understand it, docufiction is a documentary that dramatises certain events with actors. Because docufiction is often used as a synonym for docudrama, and drama is considered fiction, the whole thing gets a little hazy. So it seems like docufiction is the film version of literary journalism, but because some things are better seen that narrated, they use actors to fill in the blanks.

Even though the concept has been around for decades, the term docufiction only came to be at the beginning of the 21st century, and I'm rather surprised I've never heard of it, and I'd be interested to know if I'm just really behind or if this is also new to everyone else.

I looked up a couple of examples, and I'm trying to locate them to rent out and get a feel for what it is.

Les Ordres is a 1974 Canadian docufiction that focuses on the incarceration of innocent people in the 1970 October Crisis and the War Measures Act put in place by the government. The film centres around 5 of the jailed civilians, and although the film is scripted, it is based on real interviews.

So Les Ordres really does seem like literary work - it's based on fact and is the product of extensive interviewing. But what about Supervolcano?

Aired in 2005 by BBC UK, Supervolcano is a docufiction on the highly-destructive volcano in Yellowstone National Park. The volcano does exist, and the film takes a look at the events that would occur should the volcano erupt - which, apparently, it's long overdue for.

But, the glaring point here is that it hasn't actually happened. So how is this literary journalism on film? Well, the film has extensively researched supervolcano's, and the aftermath - apparently they are powerful enough to cause a mini ice-age. At no point is the viewer led to believe that what they are watching is something that has happened.

I'm really interested by docufiction. I'm also studying documentary journalism this semester, and it's something I'd like to look into. I like the thought of literary journalism with the option of visual aides, although I do think that what makes literary journalism so fantastic is that the author needs to create a picture, a person and a story with nothing but their words and the way they use them.

It does confuse me though, because I still see a regular documentary being the same as docufiction. Both tell the truth, both research, and both present in similar ways. I haven't been able to find anything on a style or tone that is unique to docufictions.

I'd love to hear about some good docufictions, I couldn't find any great lists online. I'll be looking into Les Ordres,  but I think I'll pass on Supervolcano.