Industry perspective: Who controls documentary film in the era of AI?

Who really decides what a film looks like today – the director, the producer, the lawyer, or the algorithm? This panel discussion opens up questions of power and control in documentary filmmaking, questions made even more complex by the rise of generative AI. How does the relationship between filmmaker and technology shift? What happens when algorithms shape dramaturgy, distribution, or even content itself? And ultimately, who bears responsibility – for the story, for ethics, for the audience’s trust? Bringing together diverse voices from practice and theory, the debate will map out where control over documentary truly lies today.

Panelists: Szilvia Ruszev (HUN), Tomáš Rampula (CZ), Veronika Macurová Křížová (CZ), Tomáš Elšík (CZ)

Moderated by Marta Balaga

English and Czech (with simultaneous interpretation).