Three pairs of robots engage in dialogue. How does artificial intelligence see the world? How does it see itself? There is a hidden tenderness in their algorithmic musings – what seems to preoccupy the robots most is the definition of being human.
What can artificial intelligence teach us, perhaps about ourselves? 3 Dialogues About the Future shifts the focus and lets the robots do the talking, exploring their learning processes and how they understand and relate to humanity. But in the three pairs’ dialogues, behind algorithmic coldness, lies hidden warmth and tenderness. What does it mean to be human? What do humans look like? What values do they hold? For once, to be watched by artificial intelligence does not come with a sense of surveillance or danger, but, rather, it feels like a gesture of mutual affection. The future of technological progress is yet to unfold, but as scary as it can be, 3 Dialogues About the Future suggests that there is room for beauty. (Dora Leu, BIEFF 2022)
Alina Manolache is a Romanian filmmaker (b. 1990). Her practice stands at the intersection between documentary cinema, artistic research and education. Featured by Filmmaker Magazine as one of the top 5 female directors of IDFA 2020, Manolache is an alumna of Visions du Réel, IDFA, CPH:DOX, Jihlava and Dokufest. She has authored several shorts and one feature length documentary (Lost Kids On the Beach), as well as commissioned webdocs for VICE and The Guardian. Manolache holds a Bachelor’s in Photography & Video by the Bucharest University of Fine Arts and a Master’s in Society & Media Studies. She is a graduate of Archidoc, Aristoteles Workshop, Sarajevo Talent Campus and IDFAcademy.