True — production still

True

Short Film · 2016 · Thriller · 20 min

a Dare To Fail Production
funded by Thüringer Staatskanzlei
supported by Junge Medien Thüringen and Startnext
Formerly distributed by aug&ohr medien

A talented programmer has created an artificial intelligence that understands every written text. As he recognizes that his girlfriend is cheating on him, he manipulates the software. Now it can hack and analyse social network profiles. Nobody should ever have secrets anymore. But he has to find out that his revenge was a terrible mistake.

Cast

  • Julian Mosbach
  • Lena Ladig
  • Jacob Gunkel
  • Maximilian Büttner
  • Lara Schmidt

Crew

  • Director Simon Schneider
  • Writer Simon Schneider, Vincent Schober
  • Producer Simon Schneider, Flu Popow, Fabian Hagedorn
  • Cinematographer Flu Popow
  • Production Designer Wilhelm Lindner, Musa Mylko
  • Costumes & Makeup Vivien Frischkemuth
  • Editor Constantin Maier
  • Composer Felix Löwy
  • Sound Design & Mixing Marko Weichler

Surveillance is not an abstract issue. It is a human one. And the question of whether we have the right to intrude on the lives of others is no longer purely a political or intelligence-related issue in the age of digitalization. It arises in the private sphere, between two people who love each other but no longer trust one another. Paul is someone who understands systems. Code, logic, structures. That is his world. What he doesn't understand is the person next to him. So he does the only thing he can: he builds himself a tool designed to bridge the gap. An artificial intelligence that analyzes language, recognizes patterns, and uncovers the truth. The irony is that he destroys exactly what he's looking for — closeness, trust, connection — through his control. The Global surveillance scandal was the starting point. But what interests me is not the political dimension, but the psychological one. How far will someone go when fear and anger take control? And what happens when the tool you direct against others turns against yourself?

True — Poster
  • Karlsruhe International Film Festival 2017 — Newbie Award
  • Cellu l'Art Short Film Festival Jena 2017 — Audience Award
  • Federal Association of German Film Authors 2017 — Bronze Medal
  • North Carolina Film Award 2017 — Best Director Award
  • IndieFlicks Film Festival Manchester 2017 — Director's Choice Award
  • KONTAKT Young Talent Day, Central German Media Fund 2014 — Honorable Mention
  • MDR (public German television broadcaster)
  • 5th Genrenale Film Festival, Berlin, Germany
  • 17th Karlsruhe International Film Festival, Germany
  • 18th Cellu l'Art Short Film Festival, Jena, Germany
  • 5th BFF Short Film Festival, Schrobenhausen, Germany
  • 5th IndieFlicks Film Festival, Manchester, UK
  • 3rd Kleinkaap Short Film Festival, Centurion, South Africa
  • 2nd Chhatrapati Shivaji International Film Festival, Pune, India
  • 4th North Carolina Film Award, USA
  • 2nd Mexico City International Film Festival, Mexico
  • 6th Front Range Film Festival, USA