Can AI characters learn authenticity? IDFA’s ‘Synthetic Sincerity’ investigates

At IDFA, the question of whether AI characters can genuinely express human emotion takes center stage in Synthetic Sincerity, a boundary-pushing hybrid documentary that echoes broader conversations.

The film examines whether machine-generated personalities can develop a sense of authenticity, or whether they will always remain simulations crafted to mimic human nuance.

Directed by Marc Isaacs, the feature blends documentary realism with staged scenes to explore the unsettling grey area between human and machine expression.

Premiering in the international competition lineup at IDFA, the project follows Isaacs as he collaborates with a fictional research hub, The Synthetic Sincerity Lab, where scientists test how AI characters learn emotional truth.

Their experiments include using personas from Isaacs’ own films, creating a feedback loop between reality and algorithmic interpretation.

The film’s AI guide, co-created with Romanian actress Illinca Manolache, pushes Isaacs into unfamiliar territory, instructing him on how to navigate a world engineered by code.

As he follows subjects ranging from a rebellious researcher to an Uyghur chef exploring his own digital double, the film asks whether authenticity is teachable, or inherently human.