What defines a documentary film?

A documentary film is defined as a genre that portrays factual stories primarily for educational purposes. This definition highlights the essential characteristic of documentaries: they aim to inform and present reality rather than fabricate stories for entertainment. Documentaries often seek to explore real-life events, people, cultures, or issues, presenting them in a way that engages the audience while enlightening them about the subject matter.

The key aspect of option B lies in its emphasis on factual storytelling, which distinguishes documentaries from fictional films. While documentaries can also be entertaining, their primary goal lies in shedding light on real-world topics, thus providing a meaningful perspective to viewers.

The other options do not align with the definition of a documentary. For example, the first option refers to fictional narratives intended for entertainment, which is the opposite of what a documentary represents. The third choice discusses visual media without sound, which does not accurately define documentaries since many include narration and interviews as part of their storytelling. The fourth option focuses solely on animation, which is unrelated to documentaries as they traditionally involve real-life footage and observations rather than animated sequences.