documentary at
Odder Højskole
“We must feel that we are alive.” – Benny Andersen
In Documentary, we watch, analyze, and discuss some of the best documentaries from around the world.
Using tools from psychology, dramaturgy, and rhetoric, we explore how filmmakers and the medium itself can manipulate our emotions. How do documentaries make us feel? What makes us cry? And how do they turn someone else’s story into something that suddenly feels personal to us?
Documentary is bigger than ever—and it’s no longer limited to television. Today, powerful documentaries are shown on the big screen, reaching wide audiences. We’ll explore why the genre is having a golden age right now, and we’ll dive deep into examples that show the documentary’s incredible emotional and narrative power.
Examples include:
The King of Kong
A stay-at-home dad tries to break the world record in the retro arcade game Donkey Kong. Crafted like a classic fiction film, it’s a battle between good and evil—with all of life’s emotions at stake.
The Work
Ordinary men take part in group therapy inside a U.S. prison—alongside convicted murderers. Four intense days that don’t just change their lives… they might change yours too.
I’d Die for My Daughter
A Danish man survives a brutal throat-slashing in South America, only to discover that his ex-girlfriend may have hired a hitman to kill him. The documentary is directed by Troels Engelbrecht, one of our teachers at Odder’s film school.
Banksy: Exit Through the Gift Shop
The elusive street artist Banksy causes chaos and beauty across the globe. Is it art—or vandalism? While Banksy spent 20 years perfecting his craft, others post a single video on YouTube and gain instant fame. Banksy asks: What has happened to our world?
We’re here to be moved.
We’re here to be shaken.
We’re here to feel that we are alive.
