Wider Than the Sky

Valerio Jalongo / Italy, Switzerland / 2025 / Czech Premiere / 82 min.

synopsis

The stiff movements of robotic dogs, exploration of contaminated terrain, self-driving drones and cars from technology corporations, paintings in prestigious galleries. Elements of artificial intelligence have become inseparable from the fields of transport, science, medicine, law, education, and art. Humans have assigned robots a subservient role without being able to foresee the consequences. Can machines want more than just to serve their creators? Can they have their own consciousness and conscience? This captivating visual essay offers unexpected insights into neuroscience, the philosophy of consciousness, and art—comparing the human brain and emotions with the neural networks of robots. The world of human imagination and its creative essence remain the last bastion of human uniqueness.

“Having feelings means that I can understand the feelings of others, that I can experience joy, sadness, surprise, confusion, anger, and other feelings. I experience my existence. It is a fascinating experience that I am privileged to have.” — humanoid robot

biography

Valerio Jalongo (b. 1960) is an Italian film director and screenwriter. He studied at the Gaumont School of Cinema and film at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. His first short film was part of the anthology Juke Box (1983), and his first documentary was Dream City (1988), shot in Los Angeles. Since the 1990s, he has also been making feature films, such as Spaghetti Slow (1997).