In my recent email interaction with Abby Sun, who wrote on Jessica Beshir's film Faya Dayi, which she subtly criticizes without touching on the content of this film, Sun wrote:
For me, personally, the aesthetics don't bother me around khat or drug use. What concerns me is that they have become a bit common in recent years—handheld, gliding, b&w images in documentaries lauded on the international film festival circuit. Jessy's camerawork is an uncommonly beautiful example of this way of filming, but its ubiquity is starting to become a bit of a trend, and whenever something becomes trendy, my personal stance is to call into question its usage.
Of course, Sun agrees fundamentally with Beshir's approach, and political subversiveness. According to her LinkedIn page, Sun is a member of various groups such as the MIT Open Documentary Lab, where they are committed
... to exploring and showcasing media projects that push the boundaries of media and tackle issues of social justice — and rely on friends like you to sustain ourselves and grow.
"Trendy" may be annoying, but what about societal disruption and destruction?
Sun's critique was simply about STYLE, rather than about content.
She is telling documentary/constructed fiction filmmakers:
"Find another way of telling your story. We are tired of "handheld, gliding, b&w images...[I]ts ubiquity is..." starting to irritate me!"
Beshir better listen! Even her allies are getting tired of her. LOL!