Film screenings in the forest: insights from audience feedback

Studies combining filmmaking, screenings and audience research to explore the social dimensions of forested landscapes are rare. This paper reflects on an experimental methodological approach involving the production and screenings of a documentary film, Cattle in the Community Forest, about the politics and discourses surrounding livestock encroachment into reserves under community-based forest management in south-eastern Tanzania. This approach was designed as a form of ‘member-check’ with combined methodological and ethical purposes. Ethically, it aimed to enhance participants' active involvement and foster mutual respect by sharing findings accessibly and by providing an opportunity to feedback. Methodologically, feedback screenings intended to improve research depth and credibility through participants' validation, questioning, challenge and elaboration. To investigate the extent to which this approach achieved these goals, we analyse viewer responses from twelve screenings with stakeholders including farmers, pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, village leaders and government officials. As a research tool, feedback screenings added depth to findings by illuminating divergent participant interests, inter- and intra-group relationships and politics. Polarised reactions highlighted the approach's ethical complexity. Most viewers, particularly those not in positions of authority, responded positively to the documentary because they felt it benefited them in various ways. However, some in positions of authority challenged the film because it did not serve their interests. Other critical responses highlighted flaws in our research process. By providing an open and honest account of this experimental approach, the paper aims to aid researchers employing member-check by making and sharing films, particularly when injustices and/or conflict related to forest landscapes are central.