Docufiction
Truth is not always stranger than fiction—sometimes, they are one and the same. The Docufiction section is dedicated to the cinematic space where these two realms collide, merge, and create something entirely new. This year’s tightly curated selection of eight works, both feature-length and short, ventures to the outer edges of documentary imagination. Though smaller in number than in previous years, the lineup is exceptionally rich in stylistic variety and thoughtful engagement with the pressing themes of our time.
What unites these films is a shared curiosity for expanding the documentary toolbox. They may begin with a foundation of reality, but they are not afraid to weave in the artifice of fiction: choreographed scenes, scripted dialogue, or breathtaking flights of fantasy. By braiding the factual with the emotional and the observational with the narrative, these filmmakers don't just blur the line between reality and imagination—they propose that the most profound truths often lie in the space between.
The creative strategies are as diverse as the stories themselves. An actor might be cast to resurrect a forgotten historical figure; a stunning animated sequence might erupt from the fabric of the everyday; the tense structure of a thriller might become a potent metaphor for political oppression. Each choice invites the viewer into a new, emotionally resonant mode of engagement, proving that sometimes the most honest way to tell a true story is to embrace the art of fiction.
