African documentary Film?

Is there such things as African Documentary Film (ADF)? I would argue a LOUD YES! ADF teachers us about cultures, languages, governments and the diversity that lies in Africa. When we mention that phrase we ADF we are talking about films made that's subject matter is in Africa. I don't think that title means it's made by Africans, but that it's about Africans in some way, shape or form. Non Africans can produce ADF. This was the case with American professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and his series that aired on PBS Wonders of the African World. Professor Gates lives in America, has traveled to Africa before, but he isn't truly connected to that culture, yet his film made by Americans for viewing in Western society is still an ADF.

I personally don't know if there is a canon or a scholarly profession that debates the legitimacy of ADF. I do know that ADF is a real genre of documentaries. There is research that can be done on this. The topics range from wildlife safaris, to leaders of African nations. There are many documentaries about Nelson Mandela and The African National Congress of South Africa. There are film festivals held is South Africa explicitly geared towards documentary film. So while I don't know for sure if scholarly discourse of ADF, I'm sure there maybe if film festivals are being held throughout Africa. There is also the West African Documentary Film Forum that is on-line. So in the real world and in cyberspace people are talking about Documentary film from Africa.

We all come from diverse backgrounds. We have unique gifts that we can give the world from our different life experiences. I write that to say that yes someone of African descent can produce documentary films about non-African societies. It's not different than white American or European anthropologist studying indigenous groups in Africa and making films about them. These videos sometimes in appear in French, Dutch, or Spanish, but still they are ADF's. Having films translated into a different language doesn't take away from the Africaness of the films topic or that it was filmed in Africa. Sometimes it's necessary to change the language for the audience you are trying to reach.

So for me I think there is a genre known as African Documentary Film, that can teach and inspire others to travel to the continent of Africa in search of a rich history and culture that is often thought of negatively in the Western world.