Krakow 26

In the Synthetic Sincerity lab, researchers are looking to inject authenticity into AI characters, using characters from director Marc Isaacs’ own documentaries to do so. In return, they allow him to film the process. In his own playful way, Isaacs is asking some very challenging questions about our evolving relationship with AI, and where reality begins and ends. That said, the documentary may be hi-tech in concept, but decidedly low in budget. “I made this film for £8,000. There is something about the independence that gives you,” Isaacs tells Business Doc Europe.

The 66th edition of Krakow Film Festival opens May 31 with Marc Isaacs’ Synthetic Sincerity, ahead of seven days of frenetic doc activity, both for public and Industry. During the festival, one of the oldest events within the international calendar dedicated to doc (and animation), audiences have the opportunity to watch around 200 films from across the planet, with documentaries competing in International and National Competitions. Festival director Barbara Orlicz-Szczypuła and Artistic Director Anita Piotrowska talk to Business Doc Europe.

Approximately 200 titles will be selected for the festival running May 31 to June 7 2026. “We're looking for powerful, professional films with a distinctive voice,” writes incoming Artistic Director Anita Piotrowska. “We aim to honour the finest traditions of the Krakow Film Festival, so we're particularly interested in documentaries and short forms that make bold artistic statements and offer meaningful insights about ourselves or the world around us.”