Reaching Philadelphia from Luxembourg for the 31st edition of the Visible Evidence Conference felt like stepping through a cinematic lens. My early morning arrival into the city presented an immediate sense of vintage Americana, evoked by the unfamiliar design of local buses and the endless, uniform red-brick row homes that define the urban fabric, and instantly reminiscent of 1960s American films. This sense of place, blending history with contemporary urban life, set a thoughtful mood for a conference centered on « Community ».
The conference took place from August 3 – 7, 2025, and was hosted by Temple University’s Film and Media Arts department, a sprawling academic complex that impressed with its scale and integration into the city. I was honored to be a part of this scholarly convergence, which began with a thoughtful acknowledgment of the land of Philadelphia as part of Lënapehòkink, the ancestral homelands of the Lenape peoples.
About the Event: Community and Global Context
Visible Evidence is the foremost academic gathering dedicated to documentary film studies. This year’s theme, “Community”, was inspired by Philadelphia’s significant history in community media. The conference successfully expanded this topic into a globally-oriented discourse, welcoming scholarship that conceived of community in its broadest sense, from practitioners to virtual, digital collectives. For five dense days, the conference served as a vital forum for intellectual exchange through scholarly papers and screenings, all presented in person.
A Harvest of Knowledge and Inspiration
Due to the sensitive nature of political situations, the specifics of individual panels and participants are best left private. However, the conceptual impact of the event was profound.
My own research is rooted in documentary film aesthetics, focusing on the intrinsic qualities of the film object. The week-long immersion into the multidisciplinary concept of « Community » helped me re-contextualize this work. It was inspiring to see academicians from different fields engaging with documentary studies in a broader social and ethical context. This affirmed that even purely aesthetic research is enriched when it acknowledges the real-world community mandates that shape our art form.
Reflecting on my experience at Visible Evidence XXXI, I am energized by the intellectual stimulation and the connections forged with scholars from across the globe. This year too, I had the privilege of meeting and communicating with Michael Renov, widely regarded as one of the foundational figures of contemporary documentary film theory, the founder of the Visible Evidence conference and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. And this year, when we took a photo together, he commented that it felt like he was handing something over to me with this photo. His words were deliberately vague, but they carried an emotional weight that I understood as a kind of blessing – an encouragement to continue my theoretical explorations in documentary cinema.
My Research: Crowdsourced Aesthetics and Institutional Tension
As part of the conference, I had a paper presentation titled Crowdsourced Aesthetics in Documentary Films: How Festivals Influence Narrative and Visual Trends.
This study reflected ongoing findings within the framework of my dissertation related to festival studies.
The Core Problem: The core problem my research addresses is how the major festivals of small countries, examined through the Golden Apricot International Film Festival (GAIFF) and the Luxembourg City Film Festival (LuxFilmFest), can affect national documentary cinema. Certain stylistic and narrative tendencies gain visibility within national cinema not only through filmmakers’ creative practices but also through the legitimizing role of festivals that select, circulate and validate them. This dynamic produces an institutional tension: while festivals in smaller countries are tasked with serving as cultural platforms, educational arenas and networking hubs, their curatorial choices simultaneously establish aesthetic norms that influence what is recognized as legitimate documentary practice. In this sense, festivals may operate both as catalysts for innovation and as mechanisms of constraint, fostering some forms of creativity while narrowing the possibilities for others.
Final Thoughts and Gratitude
I extend my gratitude to the Doctoral School in Humanities and Social Sciences (DSHSS) at the University of Luxembourg for providing the financial support necessary for my participation. My deepest appreciation also goes to my doctoral supervisor, Dr. Gian Maria Tore, whose critical guidance remains invaluable in shaping my academic journey.
About my experience in the 2024 Visible Evidence conference, you can find here: https://segkirakossian.com/visible-evidence-30/
Seg Kirakossian
Doctoral Researcher at the University of Luxembourg
