Teaching how to make the past visible

Abstract

This paper examines how historical documentary filmmaking can be taught as a method for making the past visible and meaningful through audiovisual media. It reflects on the development of online courses at Dalarna University that train students to create historical documentaries by combining archival materials, narration, and newly recorded footage. The work highlights how digital technologies and the digitization of cultural heritage have expanded access to historical sources, enabling new forms of storytelling and learning. Positioned between artistic and academic research, the approach emphasizes both rigorous archival investigation and creative narrative design. The author argues that historical documentary film constitutes a distinct genre, requiring filmmakers to reconstruct past events through traces such as photographs, documents, and memories. By using film as a medium for interpretation, students can engage more deeply with history, uncover alternative perspectives, and develop a reflective understanding of how the past is constructed and communicated.