Hearts and Minds
Peter Davis · 1974
Hearts and Minds (1974), directed by Peter Davis, is a fiercely focused documentary about the Vietnam War that builds its argument through juxtaposition rather than narration. Shot by Richard Pearce and edited by Lynzee Klingman, it assembles interviews with American officials, veterans, and Vietnamese civilians into a sustained critique of US assumptions about race, power, and civilisation. Winning the 1975 Academy Award for Best Documentary, it remains polarising: praised for its moral urgency and condemned for its selectivity. Its enduring significance lies not in balance, but in its unflinching exposure of how language enables violence—and how footage, once recorded, outlives intention.