Isa Willinger

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Isa Willinger
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Born1980
Munich, Germany
CitizenshipGerman
OccupationFilm director, author
Known forHi, AI. Love Stories from the Future; Plastic Fantastic; No Mercy

Isa Willinger (born 1980, Munich) is a German documentary film director and author. Her feature-length theatrical documentaries have addressed themes of technology, society, and environmental issues, and have been screened at major international film festivals including the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), Hot Docs, DOC NYC, and the Viennale. Willinger's films have received industry recognition, including a nomination for the German Film Award, and have been the subject of coverage in international media such as The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and Deadline. Her best-known works include Hi, AI. Love Stories from the Future (2019), Plastic Fantastic (2023), and No Mercy (2025).

Career

Willinger began her career in documentary filmmaking after studying directing at the University of Television and Film Munich..[1] Her films are characterized by an interest in the social and ethical implications of technological and environmental change.

Her feature-length directorial debut, Hi, AI. Love Stories from the Future (2019), examines emerging emotional relationships between humans and humanoid robots.[2] The film was selected for multiple international film festivals, including Hot Docs Toronto[3] and International Documentary Film festival Amsterdam[4], and was nominated for the German Film Award[5]. In connection with the film's release, Willinger appeared in German television programs[6] discussing the societal impact of artificial intelligence.

In 2023, Willinger released her second feature documentary, Plastic Fantastic, which focuses on global plastic production and consumption.[7] The film screened at international film festivals including CPH:DOX[8], the Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia[9], and the Guangzhou International Documentary Film Festival[10], and received multiple awards, among them the Audience Award at the German Documentary Film Awards[11] and the Graine d’Or at the FIFES Cannes festival[12]

Willinger's third theatrical documentary, No Mercy (2025), explores questions of authorship and film language,[13] drawing in part on her earlier monograph on Soviet-Ukrainian filmmaker Kira Muratova[14]. The film was selected for festivals including the Viennale[15] and DOC NYC[16] and received coverage in international film industry publications[17][18]. Critical response included commentary from The Hollywood Reporter, which contextualized the film within ongoing debates on gender and film authorship,[19] as well as reviews from independent film critics.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "NO MERCY". Festival dei Popoli. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  2. ↑ https://deadline.com/video/german-films-2026-face-to-face-participants-youtube/
  3. ↑ https://boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=89976~fff311b7-cdad-4e14-9ae4-a9905e1b9cb0&epguid=a1a41036-cbe1-4f35-bc34-1ed13d4bd525&
  4. ↑ "Hi, AI (2019) | IDFA Archive".
  5. ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (2026-01-15). "German Talents From 'Babystar', 'Silent Friend' & 'Elaha' Among Those Selected For German Films' Face To Face Campaign 2026". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  6. ↑ "Sei gegrüßt, kleiner Roboter". 19 May 2019.
  7. ↑ Habekuß, Fritz (2024-01-18). ""Plastic Fantastic" : Wie die Plastikindustrie beinahe jeden zum Komplizen macht". Die Zeit (in Deutsch). ISSN 0044-2070. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  8. ↑ "Plastic Fantastic - Films - home". german-documentaries.de. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  9. ↑ "Plastic Fantastic - Films - home".
  10. ↑ "Guangzhou International".
  11. ↑ "ZDF/ARTE-Koproduktion "Total Trust" gewinnt Deutschen Dokumentarfilmpreis". ZDF Presseportal (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  12. ↑ "NO MERCY | Isa Willinger". Forum Austriaco di Cultura Roma (in italiano). Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  13. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (2025-11-12). "Cinephil Boards Isa Willinger's Documentary 'No Mercy' Featuring Céline Sciamma and Alice Diop, Unveils Teaser Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  14. ↑ Szalai, Georg (2025-10-20). ""Do Women Make the Harsher Films?" Isa Willinger Explores That Question in 'No Mercy'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  15. ↑ "No Mercy | Viennale". www.viennale.at (in Deutsch). Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  16. ↑ "No Mercy | Viennale".
  17. ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (2025-11-12). "Cinephil Boards Isa Willinger's Documentary 'No Mercy' Featuring Céline Sciamma and Alice Diop, Unveils Teaser Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  18. ↑ ""Women Make the Harsher Films": Isa Willinger Revisits a Provocation in "No Mercy"". Cinema Femme. 2025-11-21. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  19. ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/women-films-no-mercy-isa-willinger-interview-kira-muratova-1236400047/
  20. ↑ "No Mercy (2025) DOC NYC 2025".

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