The Documentary has a raw feel that I believe was done intentionally in order to capture the realism and authenticity of the film. The courthouse buildings doesn’t have a modern feel, instead opting for a more simplistic look. This I believe enhances the film as it shows the justice system still prevails even in this underdeveloped society.

The lack of attractiveness of the film works in the film’s favour as it presents the truth of the cruelty that women and children often face in the undeveloped area that the documentary is set in. This aesthetic detail also serves as a medium to present the judicial system in place. How even in this rough area, the judicial system protects the rights of women and children.

Another way the Aesthetics captures the realism of the film is by showing the daily lives of daily people. Directors Florence Ayisi and Kim Longinotto make great use of cinema verite to present this perspective. The lack of mediation from directors creates a greater sense of realism and enhances the production for the audience.

The documentary looks and feels raw and natural and uses a visual style to capture a sense of realis and verisimilitude. This is done by the use of cinematography like the shaky shots from the handheld camera used. the use of mise en scene is also used to show a realistic environment. Eg. the state prosecutors office is Messy and under developed. for example there are a big stack of papers by the wall and her office does not have air conditioning which would explain the fan on the side of the table.

1. The primary mode of documentary used in Sisters in Law is Observational. The directors likely chose this mode due to the verisimilitude of watching the events occur on screen without the filmmakers stepping in (as seen in documentaries by people such as Michael Moore) at any point. This also makes the film much more effective in moments of shock, as we see the subjects express emotion without directly addressing the documentary crew.

2. The Cinema Verite movement (or ‘direct cinema’) is a documentary style in which the filmmakers spend an extended amount of time living in and recording the communities in which they are making their films about. No scenes are manipulated to create a certain plot, and instead the film’s narrative is created during the editing process using the actuality footage. One example of this in Sisters in Law is the scene in which the young girl gives her account of when she was raped, in which the directors choose not to cut out the graphic details she describes. Another example is when the lawyers are discussing the court case surrounding domestic abuse and express their frustration with the court.

3. ‘Would Sisters in Law construct a different narrative or give different perspectives of women’s lives, if the directors were men?’ – I believe that the gender of Sisters in Law’s director does make a difference in what is and isn’t shown on screen. Being female herself, Longinotto relates to how women are spoken to and mistreated by men, and she holds them accountable for their actions. For example, when the male lawyer is talking to Vera in a disrespectful and sarcastic manner, Longinotto keeps the footage uncut in the film in order to make sure spectators know exactly what kind of person he is in the later court scenes.

‘If truth is important to documentary filmmaking, what truths are revealed in Sisters in Law?’ – Longinotto uses Sisters in Law as a way to emphasise the cruelty women in Cameroon suffer at the hands of men or even each other. However, following the stories of female lawyers who manage to prove to the court that the offenders are guilty shows that change had begun in terms of Cameroon’s patriarchal society.

The visual style of sisters in laws enforces the fact of Cameroon being an under developed country through the mise en scene I the documentary. An example of this being the lawyers office having huge stacks of paper on her desk as well as her office in general looking cheap with the cleaners using branches to sweep dirt. This shows Cameroons poverty as the lawyer in the film is supposed to be a higher up in society yet cant afford cabinets for files and has an over all run down office. This overall gives the documentary a sympathetic tone showing Cameroon as venerable and unpleasant to live in strengthening the the themes of equality in the documentary.

Social context: Sisters in law is set in Kumba Cameroon. At the time the documentary was filmed Kumba was a town in poverty and had some controversial views on how women and children were treated. For example when married women were seen as the husbands property and not a separate human. also women and children were beaten after doing something wrong and this was seen as ok at the time. The fact that both the judge and the prosecutor are women would give hope to the population of Cameroon and the rest of the world as the views of how women and children are treated are starting to change

Sisters in law was produced by Florence Ayisi and Kim Longinotto and was funded by the organization Women made movies which is a charity that promotes film made by or featuring women The inspiration for the film came from Kumba Town in West Cameroon, where Ayisi grew up. Initially, the directors planned to focus on the local police force but shifted their attention to the judicial system, highlighting the work of two women, Vera Ngassa and Beatrice Ntuba

Social: The documentary is set in Cameroon, a country in central Africa which suffers from poverty and inequality in terms of gender due to being a highly religious place with 69.2 percent of the population are Christian, 20.9 percent Muslim meaning script traditional values are misused against women in the community.

Production: Florence Ayisi and Kim Longinotto where supported financially by the non profit company women make movie who aimed to teach women filmmaking supporting sisters in law to have a wider representation for women directors. Ayisi had the idea to make a documnetry in her home town Cameroon after a visit she had there seeing the mistreatment of women.

infotainment – a type of media, usually telelvision or online, that provides a combination of information and entertainment

mode of address (direct/indirect) – the direct mode of address refers to the use of signifiers that acknowledge the audience

tone/mood (formal/informal) – the mood refers to what the audience feel as they watch the film, whereas the tone refers to the attitude of the filmmaker about the film’s subject

investigative journalism – a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, racial injustice, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing

polemic approach – an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another

exposition – a literary term that refers to the background information the audience needs to know for the world of your story to make sense

Social Context

It is set in a rural community in Kumba town, Cameroon, that focuses on the different prospective of women’s lives. The film was made in 2005 and is directed by the female directors Florence Ayisi and Kim Longinotto. The film being produced by women accurately showcases the mistreatment of women and the justice system that protects them.

Production

The directors were supported by a non profit media organisation named ‘women make movies’ who focused on running workshops and teaching women how to make films. The the idea grew from a visit to Kumba Town, west Cameroon, which is Florence’s hometown. They were originally going to make a doccumentary about the police but instead chose to focus on the justice system.