Future of Reality
2025 Future of Cinema Conference: August 11 – 13
How does cinema – and all audiovisual media – construct, challenge, and reimagine reality in times of ecological, political, and technological transformation?
How does cinema – and all audiovisual media – construct, challenge, and reimagine reality in times of ecological, political, and technological transformation?
The Future of Reality is the second edition of the Future of Cinema Conference at Locarno Film Festival, an initiative jointly organized by Locarno Factory and Università della Svizzera italiana (USI). Taking place from August 11 to 13, 2025, during the 78ᵗʰ edition of the Festival, the Conference is a central platform for critical dialogue and creative exploration of the future of cinema.
This year’s theme – ‘the future of reality’ – brings together leading scholars, filmmakers, and artists to examine how generative AI, algorithmic media, and evolving forms of nonfiction reshape our perceptions of truth and representation. Through panels, performances, and live events, the Conference engages with urgent topics such as algorithmic storytelling, misinformation, and the politics of the archive.
The 2025 Conference includes two evening events on August 11 and 12 open to all and hosted by Locarno’s spin-off festival BaseCamp (by Locarno Factory), bridging academic research with interactive experiences and creative experimentation. These highlight the Festival’s commitment to engaging wider audiences in the audiovisual futures conversation.
Everyday life without audiovisual technologies is no longer imaginable. How do we experience reality in the age of generative AI, algorithmic media, and the omnipresence of digital platforms?
The evening programs of the Conference (at BaseCamp) are open to all. The daytime program is mainly reserved for conference presenters, students of REAL Academy, and participants of Locarno Academy and Basecamp.
The Future of Cinema Conference is an initiative of the Locarno Film Festival and Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), organized by the Future of Cinema research team at USI through the project The Video Essay: Memories, Ecologies, Bodies, funded by The Swiss National Science Foundation.
The Future of Cinema Conference is part of the broader Future of Cinema initiative at Locarno, between Locarno Factory and the Professorship for the Future of Cinema and the Audiovisual Arts. This partnership also includes the REAL Academy and other collaborative projects. These programs together create a unique environment for innovation, reflection, and the production of new knowledge at the intersection of research and cinema, expanding on the Locarno Film Festival’s commitment to innovation, reflection, and critical engagement with the futures of cinema and media.
