Fishbowl: Handling of AI in Documentary Films – To Whom Does Reality Belong?

When and how should AI-generated images or voices be labelled? Can AI avatars help to render protagonists anonymous in a responsible way? And how should festivals and curators approach AI-generated works? Particularly in the field of documentary film, the presence of generative AI raises new questions regarding authenticity and ethical responsibility. Under what circumstances can it be used in a reasonable or beneficial way? And when should it not be used at all? Generative AI opens up new narrative and creative possibilities and makes the act of filmmaking more accessible. At the same time, it threatens to alter existing professional fields fundamentally, or even to supplant them entirely. In the Fishbowl, we will discuss this complex topic with you, our audience, and with guests representing diverse perspectives from documentary film practice.

With Solvejg Plank, Silke Botsch, Moritz Lehr. Moderation: Esther Niemeier