Venice Film Festival hosts first official AI-generated documentary

The Venice International Film Festival hosted the first official screening of a documentary film created almost entirely using generative AI. The film, titled ‘BE BRAVE’, chronicles the life of Renzo Rosso, the founder of the Italian fashion brand Diesel.

Director Francesco Calozzini stated that the production utilized AI for nearly the entire film, including archives and interviews, noting that he did not film a single frame of the subject. The film features AI-generated recreations of Rosso’s youth, including scenes of him walking through New York and discussing his dreams of founding a jeans manufacturer.

The screening sparked debate among industry professionals. Some critics expressed difficulty distinguishing between original and AI-generated footage, questioning the necessity of AI in a documentary format. Conversely, Rosso remarked that AI allowed for the impossible recreation of his younger self, enabling him to see his childhood self speak and act.