Abstract
This thesis conceptualises the practice of ‘recessive resistance’ in the early documentaries (1982-1992) of feminist and postcolonial filmmaker Trinh T. Minh-ha. I define this practice as a critical response to the humanitarian impulse in much documentary work to give visibility and a voice to marginalised, ‘Third World,’ and suffering women. Seemingly progressive, this impulse has also been revealed as a subtle form of ‘othering’ in its attempt to demonstrate the value of those portrayed according to limiting attributes of ‘humanity’. Recessive resistance explores the creative possibilities of refusing to portray others, encouraging an alternative spectatorial experience, and inviting a critical approach to more direct forms of representation. I argue that my conceptualisation of recessive resistance transforms our current understanding of Trinh’s films by highlighting the anti-humanitarian ethic of her work and makes an important contribution to feminist documentary praxis and debates surrounding informative versus experimental modes of representation.Drawing on an interdisciplinary methodology that spans critical theory, practice-as-research, feminist materialism, and Buddhist philosophy, I analyse various forms of visual and acoustic obscuration in Trinh’s work. I argue that by challenging a clear view and understanding of the faces, voices, and by extension, cultural knowledge of the women portrayed, these methods invite the spectator to critically reflect on the ways in which women’s experiences have been represented reductively across documentary formats. At the same time, I propose, this practice does not lead to complete opacity and a silencing of the film subjects. On the contrary, it encourages a sense of proximity and care towards the women in their very elusiveness and indefinability. Lastly, I explore and further define the practice of recessive resistance through a reflection on my own filmmaking, focusing particularly on the encounter with the subjects of my film to investigate the conditions and potential limitations of this approach.
| Date of Award | 10 Dec 2024 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Albertine Fox (Supervisor), Nariman Massoumi (Supervisor) & Siobhan M Shilton (Supervisor) |