Film screenings in the forest: insights from audience feedback

Film has emerged as a powerful tool in research involving forest-adjacent communities, particularly in the Global South, where it can enhance participation and challenge traditional researcher-participant power dynamics. Feedback screenings of participatory videos are increasingly used to generate new knowledge and improve ethical engagement with marginalized groups. However, systematic analysis of audience reactions remains underexplored outside the domains of cultural studies and visual anthropology. This paper addresses this gap by presenting a case study of audience responses to the documentary Cattle in the Community Forest, which explores injustices surrounding livestock encroachment into community-managed forest reserves in south-eastern Tanzania. The study involved diverse groups, including pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, farmers, village leaders, and government officials. Through qualitative analysis of audience reactions, the research highlights how affiliation with the film varies based on viewers’ perceptions of its alignment with their personal or group interests. Farmers and pastoralists, despite their often-antagonistic roles in the conflict, largely identified with the film and viewed it as a tool to advocate for change. Conversely, village leaders and government officials expressed significant criticism, perceiving the film as a threat to their interests. These reactions revealed new insight into underlying power dynamics, competing interests, and inter-group relationships. I argue that video methods that incorporate audience feedback can offer novel insights into social dynamics, support ethical research practices, and foster two-way learning. By critically engaging with marginalized groups and integrating their perspectives, such methods can advance forest livelihoods research and contribute to more inclusive conservation policy and practice.