Exploring power and trust in documentary: A study of Tom Zubrycki's Molly and Mobarak

Power represents a problem for documentary, raising questions about the politics and ethics of representation. In this article the notion of power in documentary is explored. The influence of domination as a model for power relations within documentary is challenged and a Foucauldian notion of power relationships suggested as an alternative way of conceptualising the documentary-maker participant relationship. Drawing on empirical research with documentary maker Tom Zubrycki and participant Lyn Rule, this article brings to light the complexities of power and the importance of trust in the context of documentary.