Home / Arts and Entertainment / Hybrid Filmmaker Explores AI's Impact on Authenticity and the Human Face
Hybrid Filmmaker Explores AI's Impact on Authenticity and the Human Face
14 Nov
Summary
- British filmmaker Marc Isaacs blends documentary, fiction, and AI in new film 'Synthetic Sincerity'
- Examines how AI characters can convey authenticity and the changing nature of human representation
- Collaborates with Romanian actress Illinca Manolache to create an AI avatar as a guide
In November 2025, British filmmaker Marc Isaacs is set to premiere his latest work, 'Synthetic Sincerity', at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). The film is a hybrid blend of documentary, fictional scenes, and what Isaacs describes as "gently absurd humor" that gradually blurs the line between fact and fiction.
At the heart of the film is Isaacs' exploration of how technological change, particularly the rise of AI, is impacting the art of storytelling and the representation of the human face on screen. Isaacs collaborates with an AI research project at the University of Southern England, where researchers are investigating the possibility of teaching AI characters authenticity.
To guide him through this world, Isaacs creates an AI avatar character in collaboration with Romanian actress Illinca Manolache, a frequent collaborator of acclaimed Romanian director Radu Jude. This AI guide "sternly instructs him how to behave" as Isaacs follows the work of a rebellious AI researcher and an Uyghur chef who becomes a subject of study.
The film grapples with the question of whether an AI character can ever truly convey the same authenticity as a human being, and what this means for the future of filmmaking and representation. Isaacs' hybrid approach allows him to delve into these themes in a creative and thought-provoking manner.
