The age old need for closure. -Gavin Owens

I would wager that any American off the streets would rather have closure at the end of the film than “to feel uncomfortable”. I think a statement like this reveals a graveness in Godmilow's take on documentary. In the interview, Godmilow avoided the negative connotations of making an audience “feel uncomfortable” with film because of her conviction that this was the responsible way to present a documentary. Still, I would have to agree with Godmilow in her statement. To illustrate using an example... I also respect the talented Jazz musician (a form of music that often doesn't come to complete closure). It is incredibly difficult to be a great Jazz musician as there is a wide range of variability. In other words, it's complex. Why do I have to fiddle around, for god knows how long, simply to find the nearby low-range public radio station whenever I desire Jazz? Meanwhile, the myriad of stations I brush past keep blaring a steady flow of Lady Gaga. The masses do not appreciate complexity. They do not want to be challenged. They are not interested in watching some esoteric film about “the most abject peoples in the world” only to be harassed by a cynical anarchist wielding a camera. Godmilow certainly has a point when she scolds mainstream documentaries for catering to their audiences. I do not believe, though, that Godmilow's favorite films should necessarily become the norm for what it means to be a documentary. The best way to mobilize the masses and to have the broadest impact is to appeal to these “traditions”. Ken Burns is more successful for it and that is something Godmilow will have to deal with.