Thessaloniki Documentary Festival Head Discusses AI, Separating Fact From Fiction

Festival director Orestis Andreadakis unpacks the highlights of the 2026 edition, including how documentaries are needed 'now more than ever'.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Thessaloniki Documentary Festival director Orestis Andreadakis discusses how the rise of AI has 'complicated our relationship with the truth' and why documentaries are crucial in the current digital landscape. The 2026 festival will feature 252 films, including 80 world premieres, and will honor filmmakers like Bill Morrison and Vouvoula Skoura. Andreadakis emphasizes that documentaries are not just about showing reality, but addressing it in a critical way.

Why it matters

The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival is one of the leading documentary film events in Europe, and Andreadakis' comments highlight the important role documentaries play in an era where AI and digital disruption are blurring the lines between fact and fiction. The festival's programming and tributes to pioneering filmmakers underscore the continued relevance and necessity of documentary cinema.

The details

The 28th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival will run from March 5-15, 2026. It will open with the documentary 'Ask E. Jean' about journalist E. Jean Carroll, and close with 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' about a Russian teacher fighting nationalist propaganda. The festival will screen a record 80 world premieres, as well as 32 international and 11 European premieres. Highlights include the international premiere of Sundance winner 'Nuisance Bear,' the world premieres of 'Derek vs. Derek' and 'The Golden Swan,' and a special screening of Juliette Binoche's directorial debut 'In-I in Motion.' The festival will also honor filmmakers Bill Morrison, Vouvoula Skoura, and Yorgos Papalios.

  • The 28th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival will run from March 5-15, 2026.
  • The festival will open on March 5 with the documentary 'Ask E. Jean'.
  • The festival will close on March 15 with the film 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin', followed by a live transmission of the Academy Awards.

The players

Orestis Andreadakis

The director of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival and Thessaloniki International Film Festival.

E. Jean Carroll

A celebrated advice columnist, editor and bestselling author who twice sued former President Trump for sexual assault and defamation.

Bill Morrison

An Oscar-nominated filmmaker and multimedia artist who will receive an honorary Golden Alexander award and deliver a masterclass at the festival.

Vouvoula Skoura

A pioneering Greek filmmaker who will be honored with a showcase of 20 of her films at the festival.

Yorgos Papalios

An iconic Greek film producer whose name has become synonymous with the rebirth of Greek cinema.

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What they’re saying

“It's true that AI has become more and more present in our everyday lives, and in many unpredictable and unforeseen ways. Its omnipresence has definitely complicated our relationship with the truth.”

— Orestis Andreadakis, Festival Director (Variety)

“Many of the films we're presenting this year...remind us that documentary is not simply about showing what is real — it is about addressing reality in a critical way. Rather than diminishing their importance, the present moment clarifies why documentaries are needed now more than ever.”

— Orestis Andreadakis, Festival Director (Variety)

What’s next

The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival will introduce a new digital database called Filmography during a presentation on March 13. The platform, a collaboration between the festival, the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED), and the Hellenic Film Academy, will document and showcase Greek cinema.

The takeaway

The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival's focus on addressing the challenges posed by AI and digital disruption through its programming underscores the continued importance of documentary filmmaking as a critical tool for understanding and engaging with reality, even as the line between fact and fiction becomes increasingly blurred.