The purpose of a documentary film is to offer an insight into an aspect of life or event that viewers watching wouldn’t usually have access to in their everyday lives. They can offer a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of organizations that we all wonder about: the police force, the FBI, and the White House, for example. Films about public institutions often have a public service remit. They are designed to educate and reassure us, shining a light on the public bodies that run our lives. Skeptics would say they serve as propaganda.
