Documentary Educational Resources

DER's mission is to promote thought-provoking documentary film and media for learning about the people and cultures of the world. We believe that film and media offer powerful opportunities for engaging emotions and intellect, altering preconceptions, and fostering tolerance and understanding about people and the diverse cultures of the world. We value films that convey the complexity of human social and cultural relations, using the rich opportunities for storytelling and cinematic representation afforded by the media available, and based on respectful relationships between filmmakers and subjects. We believe that providing access to non-fiction films for both scholarly and general audiences is an important contribution to the stewardship of our historical and cultural memory. We believe in the importance of connecting filmmakers and audiences, and in maintaining high professional standards in the quality of our products and in our interactions with filmmakers, educators, and our professional community.