How is science represented in documentary films?

Desciption

This is a study on the way science and scientists are represented in short documentary films on science and technology featured in Braga Science Film Fest (2023), considering symbolic elements that contribute to the image of science. Amongst 230 films on science and technology, 99 documentaries were selected for analysis. North American and British productions predominated (57), as did films featuring astronomy, biology and environment.

The narratives mostly address explanations of scientific processes and new research. Scientists appear in 56% of the films – mostly white men, alone in laboratories, but without a white coat or uniform. Scientists’ presence in public spaces – stages, the media, industry – indicates a call for their greater visibility in society.