The Danish/German/US co-production ABOUT A HERO by Piotr Winiewicz is an adaptation of a script written by an AI trained on Herzog’s body of work and the opening film of the 37th edition of IDFA. The fictional narrative is produced, ironically self-reflective, is intertwined with a series of interviews with artists, philosophers and scientists reflecting on the notion of originality, authenticity, immortality, and the soul in the age of AI.
The film presents a bold exploration into largely uncharted territories of artificial intelligence—reflecting on questions of authenticity and our understanding of what is real. With Werner Herzog's permission, Winiewicz sets out to challenge Herzog's assertion that "a computer won't be able to create a film as good as mine for at least another 4,500 years." In a tantalizing experiment, Winiewicz trained an AI-system on Herzog's oeuvre and asked it to generate a screenplay. The result is a disturbing search for the soul—of human beings and of creative work. ABOUT A HERO has been selected for the International Competition. In the early stages of development, the project was supported by the IDFA DocLab R&D Program.
LineUp of productions with German participation:
- ABOUT A HERO by Piotr Winiewicz, 84min, P: Enigma Film GmbH, Pressman Films, Cineteam Hannover GmbH, YO Productions, Beofilm Pictures, Arte, DR, [International Competition, IDFA DocLab Spotlight]
- ABO ZAABAL 89 by Bassam Mortada, 83min, P: See Media Production, Seera Films, Joyti Film, [Luminous]
- AI & Me by mots, 4min, P: mots, Zauberberg Productions [DocLab]
- ANCESTRAL SECRET VR by Francisca Silva, María José Díaz, 20min, P: NowHere Media, Galgo Storytelling, [DocLab]
- ARCHITECTION by Victor Kossakovsky, 99min, WS: The Match Factory, D: Cherry Pickers, Neue Visionen Filmverleih, P: ma.ja.de, Point du Jour – Les Films du Balibari, [Signed]
- BOGANCLOCH by Ben Rivers, 86min, WS: Rediance, P: Urth Productions, [Signed]
- BEFORE THEN by Mengzhu Xue, 30min, P: Ten Thousand Leaves Films Co., Ltd., [Luminous]
- DIRECT ACTION by Guillaume Cailleau, Ben Russell, 216min, WS: Shellac, P: CASKFILMS, VOLTE FILM, [Signed]
- DOUBLE TAKE by Johan Grimonprez, 80min, ©2009, WS: Umedia, [Retrospective]
- A FIDAI FILM by Kamal Aljafari, 78min, P: Kamal Aljafari Productions, [Signed]
- LIGHT MEMORIES | ECO DE LUZ by Misha Vallejo Prut, 78min, P: Caleidoscopio Cine, [International Competition]?
- MACHINE BOYS by Karimah Ashadu, 8min, P: Fondazione In Between Art Film, Golddust by Aahadu, [Paradocs]
- MAMA MICRA by Rebecca Blöcher, 24min WS: interfilm Berlin, P: Fabian&Fred [Short]
- MY STOLEN PLANET | SAYYAREYE DOZDIDE SHODEYE MAN by Farahnaz Sharifi, 82min, P: JYOTI Film, Pak Film, WS: CAT&Docs,[Best of Fests]
- THE NIGHTS STILL SMELL OF GUNPOWDER by Inadelso Cossa, 93min, WS: Syndicado Film Sales, P: 16mmFILMES, Ida.Ida, Kaske Film, a.o.[Best of Fests]
- ON THE BORDER by Gabriela Schild, Gerald Igor Hauzenberger, 103min, P: Framelab Filmproduction, Corso Film, Mira Film, [Frontlight]
- PLEASE STEP ASIDE! | ZURÜCKBLEIBEN BITTE! by Raha Faridi, 12min, P: Raha Faridi, [Luminous]
- RAPTURE II – PORTAL by Alisa Berger, 19min, P: Le Fresnoy - Studio National Des Arts Contemporains, FORTIS FEM FILM, [DocLab]
- REAS by Lola Arias, 90min, WS: LUXBOX, P: GEMA FILMS, SUTOR KOLONKO, Mira Film, [Signed]
- RESPITE | AUFSCHUB by Harun Farocki, 40min, ©2007 [Dead Angle: Borders]
- RIEFENSTAHL by Andres Veiel, 115min, P: Vincent Productions, WS: Beta Cinema, D: Majestic Filmverleih, Rai Cinema, [Signed]
- ROAMance by Stanislaw Liguzinski, Ibrahim Quraishi, 40min, P: Revolver Amsterdam, Medea Film Factory, [DocLab]
- SILENT OBSERVERS | STILLE BEOBACHTER by Eliza Petkova, 96min, P: Red Carpet, Wood Water Films, [Luminous]
- TEACHES OF PEACHES by Philipp Fussenegger, Judy Landkammer, 102min, WS: MAGNETFILM GmbH, P: avanti media fiction GmbH, D: farbfilm verleih GmbH, [Best of Fests]
- THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON EARTH | COSE CHE ACCADONE SULIA TERRA by Michele Cinque, 83min, P: Michele Cinque, Flute Film Gmbh, Lazy Film, [Luminous]
- TONGO SAA – RISING UP AT NIGHT by Nelson Makengo, 95min, WS: Square Eyes Film, P: Twenty Nine Studio & Production, Film Five GmbH, [Best of Fests]
- WALKING ALONE, TEXT YOU WHEN I'M HOME by Vincent Abert, 15min, P: Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, [DocLab]
- WHEN THE BODY SAYS YES by melanie bonajo, 44min, [Paradocs]
- THE WOLVES ALWAYS COME AT NIGHT by Gabrielle Brady, 96min, WS: Ciniphil, P: Over Here Productions, Guru Media, Chromosom Film, [Best of Fests]
During IDFA 2024, Docs for Sale returns to the central markets location of Felix Meritis. Film entries period started June 10 and closed September 9, 2024. Additional to documentaries showcased in the programme of the festival the Docs for Sale 2024/2025 catalogue includes German productions and co-productions such as:
- BECOMING ROOSI by Margit Lillak, 93min, P: Tiny Desk Productions, Dirk Manthey Films, [Docs for Sale]
- CLARA SOFIE – THE 1st GERMAN BULLFIGHTER by Donald Schubert, 92min, WS: Atlas International Film, P: DGC AG, [Docs for Sale]
- ETERNAL YOU by Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck, 87min, WS: DOGWOOF, P: beetz brothers film production, [Docs for Sale]
- GARY'S LETTER by Charlotte Krüger, 29min, P: Luk Productions, [Docs for Sale]
- GOOGOOSH – MADE OF FIRE! by Niloufar Taghizadeh, 94min, WS: NEW DOCS, P: Windcatcher Productions, [Docs for Sale]
- HYDROGEN – REVOLUTION OR ILLUSION? | WASSERSTOFF – REVOLUTION ODER ILLUSION? by Andreas Pichler, 90 or 52min, WS: MAGNETFILM, P: Eikon Media, Miramonte Film, Relation 04 Media, [Docs for Sale]
- LOVE ALONE CAN'T MAKE A CHILD | DER WUNSCH by Judith Beuth, 104min, WS: RISE AND SHINE, [Docs for Sale]
- MY STOLEN PLANET | SAYYAREYE DOZDIDE SHODEYE MAN by Farahnaz Sharifi, 82min, P: JYOTI Film, Pak Film, WS: CAT&Docs, [Docs for Sale]
- OBSESSED WITH LIGHT by Sabine Krayenbühl, Zeva Oelbaum, coP: Christian Popp, WS: auTLOOK, [Docs for Sale]
- OF CARAVAN AND THE DOGS by Askold Kurov & Anonymous 1, 89min, P: Askold Kurov, WS: RISE AND SHINE, [Docs for Sale]
- PETRA KELLY – ACT NOW! by Doris Metz, 104min, WS: NEW DOCS, P: BILDERSTURM Filmproduktion, [Docs for Sale]
- PURPOSE by Martin Oetting, 96min, P: Omnipolis Media, Filmtank, Florida Film, [Docs for Sale]
- SILENT TREES | EISKALTE GRENZE | DRZEWA MILCZA by Agnieszka Zwiefka, 84min, coP: ma.ja.de., P: Chilli Productions, D: KFF Sales&Promotion, [Docs for Sale]
- SUBJECT: FILMMAKING | FILMSTUNDE_23 by Edgar Reitz, Jörg Adolph, 89min, WS: RISE AND SHINE, P: if…Productions Film GmbH, [Docs for Sale]
- TEACHES OF PEACHES by Philipp Fussenegger, Judy Landkammer, 102min, WS: MAGNETFILM GmbH, P: avanti media fiction GmbH, D: farbfilm verleih GmbH, [Docs for Sale]
- WATCHING YOU – THE WORLD OF PALANTIR AND ALEX KARP | WATCHING YOU – DIE WELT VON PALANTIR UND ALEX KARP by Klaus Stern, 99min, WS: RISE AND SHINE, [Docs for Sale]
- US IN WHOM by Yara Khalil, 30min, P: Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, [Docs for Sale]
- WE THE WOLFS | WIR, DIE WOLFS by Darío Aguirre, 98min, P: Tiempo Filmproduktion, [Docs for Sale]
- WILDBOY – TEN YEARS OF ADVENTURE THERAPY by Brando Yelavich, Toby Schmutzler, 91min, P: FilmCrew Media, [Docs for Sale]
The 32nd edition of the festival's co-production and co-financing market unveils an exceptional line-up of 55 projects, including 7 with German participation, from among 820 entries, welcoming both established filmmakers and new voices to the international stage. This year's selection is dominated by women filmmakers across all formats, including the Forum Pitch, Producer Connection, Rough Cut Presentations, and IDFA DocLab Forum. Production countries span all continents, with Europe taking the lead, followed by Asia, the Americas, and Africa.
The selected projects with German participation are [so far]:
- BEYOND? by Yango González, P: Yango González (Germany) [IDFA DocLab Forum]
The belief in life after death and the assumption that consciousness depends solely on the brain share a common trait: neither has been scientifically proven. - BURNING DADDY by Tana Gilbert, P: Paola Castillo/Errante (Chile), Dirk Manthey/Dirk Manthey Film (Germany, [Forum Pitch]
Camila and her family reconstruct their father's image through old photographs and legal archives, navigating memories of his troubled past marked by violence and cheating. - DO YOU LOVE ME by Lana Daher, P: Jean-Laurent Csinidis/Films de Force Majeure (France), Lana Daher/My Little Films (Lebanon), Jasper Mielke/Wood Water Films (Germany) [Rough Cut Presentations]
The film is an archival journey through Beirut. Using mainly Lebanese cinema from the 50’s to today, it weaves together past & present to explore Lebanon’s current status and psyche. - THE ETERNAL SOLDIER by Aleksandar Nikolic, P: Miloš Ivanovic/Set Sail Films (Serbia), Friedemann Hottenbacher/Inselfilm Produktion (Germany), Monica Lazurean-Gorgan/Manifest Film (Romania), Jure Pavlovic/Sekvenca (Croatia), Mandy Chang/Undeniable Productions (United Kingdom) [Rough Cut Presentations]
Archive footage of soldiers, drawn from different times and places, is edited together into an epic story of The Soldier, a timeless character who keeps rising from his grave to fight in yet another war. Through his story, the film provides a poetic exploration of human nature and our addiction to war. - HOME MOVIE by Anu Czerwinski, prod. Anna Stylinska, Katarzyna Slesicka/My Way Studio (Poland), co-prod. Alex Tondowski/Tondowski Films (Germany) [Forum Pitch]
Anu is a transmasculine director. But when he visits his family he shaves off mustache and plays the role of beloved daughter and sister, Anna. By filming his family he hopes to overcome the fear of coming-out, longing to restore authentic ties. - QUEEN OF STONE AGE by David Bernet, P: Sarah Born/Catpics (Switzerland), Katharina Bergfeld/Ma.ja.de. Filmproduktions (Germany), Rajko Jazbec/Catpics, Dario Schoch/Catpics [Forum Pitch]
A road movie through the European Stone Age and the present day with star archaeologist Bettina Schulz-Paulsson - between scientific meticulousness and political discourse, between family madness and the tangible dream of being able to retell the history of Europe. - TO THE OTHER SIDE... by Oliver Czeslik, P: Kathrin Brunner/mYndstorm productions (Germany) [IDFA DocLab Forum]
Through an artistically and analytically curated combination of BCI and the latest generative AI, a live installation is created from my archive and symphony of memories.
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