What is a "mockumentary"?

A "mockumentary" is a fictional film that adopts the stylistic conventions of a documentary. This genre blends fictional narratives and characters with documentary techniques, such as interviews, narration, and real-world settings, to create a comedic or satirical effect. The mockumentary format allows filmmakers to explore various themes or social commentary while maintaining the appearance of a documentary, which can enhance the humor or critique of the subject matter.

While documentaries focus on factual events and real people, mockumentaries use these same conventions to convey fictional stories, often exaggerating realities for comedic purposes. This format has been popularized by films and television shows that aim to entertain while still providing commentary on real-world issues, leaving an impression that the events being depicted could be true, even when they are entirely fabricated.