What happens when artificial intelligence becomes part of the filmmaking process? The 60th Hof International Film Festival explores this question not only through discussion, but also on the big screen. With CARPE DIEM, directed by Anca Miruna Lăzărescu, the festival presents for the first time a film made with the help of AI. The nine-minute German science-fiction short film will celebrate its world premiere in Hof, combining an existential story with an innovative cinematic approach.
Synopsis: Since Anna Weber gave the world the Carpe Diem Agreement, peace and prosperity have prevailed. Everyone knows the exact moment of their death. But when Anna’s own time runs out, her husband David refuses to go on living without her. His love becomes a threat to her life’s work — and calls the future of humanity into question.
Anca Miruna Lăzărescu is a director, screenwriter and Grimme Award winner. Her film HAPPINESS SUCKS opened the Hof International Film Festival in 2018. She has directed television series for platforms and networks including Netflix, Amazon and HBO. CARPE DIEM marks her first project involving AI.
The short film is also attracting international attention: it has been nominated for the prestigious Pharos Shiver Screen Award. First presented in 2022, the award recognises outstanding short films as well as first and second feature films in the genres of thriller, horror, action, science fiction and related fields. The €2,500 prize is sponsored by PHAROS – The Post Group and The Playmaker Munich.
At the same time, the making of CARPE DIEM raises questions that reach far beyond the film itself: How is AI changing creative work? What new possibilities does it open up, and where does the human touch remain indispensable? These questions will be explored in the deep-dive session Between Artistic Vision and Algorithm: How Much AI Can a Film Accommodate?, taking place on Thursday, 22 October 2026, from 3 p.m. at Central Cinema 1 in Hof.
Director Anca Miruna Lăzărescu and AI artist Carsten Vauth will offer personal and candid insights into the making of CARPE DIEM. They will discuss where the machine surprises them, where creative decisions still require human intuition, and how the film industry can position itself in the face of rapid technological change.
Screenings of CARPE DIEM
- Wednesday, 21 October 2026, 10:15 p.m. – Freiheitshalle, Main Hall
- Thursday, 22 October 2026, 9:30 p.m. – Central Cinema, Central 1
- Friday, 23 October 2026, 10:00 a.m. – Central Cinema, Central 1
- Saturday, 24 October 2026, 3:15 p.m. – Central Cinema, Central 6
- Saturday, 24 October 2026, 5:15 p.m. – Arts Avenue
B24, Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation’s information radio station, will also be broadcasting live from the festival centre on Sunday, 25 October, as part of its Sonntags um 11 programme. The discussion will focus on AI in Film: Artistic Opportunity or Job Killer?
Audience members at the festival, as well as radio listeners, will be invited to join the discussion and share their views by phone. The panel will feature director Anca Miruna Lăzărescu and Thorsten Schaumann, Artistic Director of the Hof International Film Festival. The discussion will be moderated by Anja Volkmeyer of B24.