My thesis aims to understand and explore the limitations and questions surrounding the representation of reality, particularly through the lenses of Direct Cinema and Cinéma Vérité. To achieve this, I start from the broad perspective of the documentary film genre, exploring its definition. Delving into the various subgenres, I ultimately arrive at the juxtaposition of the observational and participatory modes of representation. My thesis examines the impact of these aspirational modes of representation, through the example of contemporary works.