BAFTA-nominated director Marc Isaacs on his "scripted" IDFA film, the myth of purity in documentaries, blurring the lines of truth and AI

BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Marc Isaacs joins host Zack Newmark to discuss his latest provocation, Synthetic Sincerity, currently in competition at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). Isaacs challenges the myth of the "pure" observational documentary, arguing that the genre has been staged since the days of the Lumière brothers and Nanook of the North. In his new film, he blurs the lines between reality and fiction by placing real AI researchers into a scripted narrative at a fictional university, using the setup to explore the very real implications of Artificial Intelligence and human emotion.

Isaacs takes aim at the "unsubtle" nature of modern streaming documentaries, criticizing the formulaic "Netflix style" that uses overpowering music to force specific emotions onto the audience. He argues that his hybrid method—which blends scripted scenarios with improvised reactions—is often more honest than so-called "fly-on-the-wall" films. By acknowledging the camera's presence and the inherent performance of his subjects, Isaacs invites the audience to critically engage with the truth rather than passively consuming a manufactured narrative.

The conversation delves into Isaacs’ recurring themes of loneliness, transience, and the search for connection, tracing back to his breakout 2001 film, Lift, which was filmed entirely in an elevator. In Synthetic Sincerity, these themes converge on a powerful storyline involving a real-life Uyghur chef. Isaacs explains how he utilizes the film's AI premise to give a voice to the chef's hidden trauma and displacement—pain that he cannot openly discuss—creating a poignant exploration of identity and the "non-spaces" people inhabit when they leave their homelands.

Beyond the creative process, Isaacs offers a sobering look at the business side of the British documentary industry. He laments the slashing of budgets and the centralization of power, where risk-averse executives have replaced independent commissioners. This shift, he argues, has stifled creativity and forced filmmakers into "cookie-cutter" molds. Isaacs champions the "cinema of discovery," describing his refusal to follow rigid plans in favor of making the film up as he goes along to preserve spontaneity.

Synthetic Sincerity is currently screening at IDFA's International Competition before heading to the international festival circuit, and potentially appearing on broadcast television and online platforms. His previous work is available on a variety of streaming services, and Isaacs releases updates about his film work and upcoming projects on his Instagram account.

Listen to this entire episode of Dam Yankee on all major podcast platforms, or watch the full videos on YouTube.

 

Amsterdam, London, Marc Isaacs, Synthetic Sincerity, documentary, Documentary film, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, United Kingdom, comedy, dark humor, podcast, Dam Yankee, loneliness, immigration, artificial intelligence, filmmaking, Podcast Interview, entertainment, social media, film, Netflix, BBC, Nanook of the North, Lumière Brothers