Niklas Poweleit (he/him) is an experimental filmmaker working in the field of synthetic imagery. His films and works focus on the relationship between images and their production. Niklas Poweleit lives and works in Germany.
The practice of Niklas Poweleit explores visual worlds shaped by contemporary imaging processes, such as artificial intelligence, that break free from representation and resist the reproduction of established visual conventions. In this way, he seeks to distance the anthropocentric act of image-making from the human as much as possible. Rather than representing, his images aim to present.
Beyond his own projects, Niklas Poweleit has collaborated with directors such as Anastasia Veber and Andrea Gatopoulos. In his seminars and workshops, he guides students to look beyond mere film techniques, fostering an awareness of the production and manipulation of digital images.
Works
2025
Volume. Experimental 360° VR Film, 09:20 min., 2025
DOK Neuland: Immaterial – DOK Leipzig International Festival for Documentary and Animated Film. Germany, 2025 (World Premiere).
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII (Barcode) – She Said: ?!. Animated Music Video, 02:20 min., 2025.
URTIcanti Iinternational Music Film & Video Festival. Italy, 2025. AI Film 3 – AI Film and Art Festival Arizona. USA, 2025.
Video Editing. Lecturer, BA Virtual Design, Hochschule Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, 2024–2025.
Animation for: Opera of Horror and Salvation. Anastasia Veber, Short film, 22 min., 2025.
2024
The Unknown Painting. Documentary, 11:50 min., 2024.
64. Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival – FICCI. Colombia, 2025 (World Premiere). Rome Prisma Film Awards. Italy, 2025 (Award: Best Short-Documentary 2024–2025). 65th Zlín Film Festival – International Film Festival for children and youth. Czech Republic, 2025. Apriti Cinema: Notti di Mezza Estate – Lo schermo dell'arte. Italy, 2025. CFF – Castiglioni Film Festival. Italy, 2025. Plons! International Short Documentary Film Festival. Netherlands, 2025.
My figurative self. Essay Film, 03:40 min., 2024
Bilderbeben: Short Film Competition Bielefeld. Germany, 2024.
The new power of images: journalistic responsibility and documentary work in times of AI and fake news. Panel discussion and Seminar, Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, 2024.
2023
Nouvelle Bug Vol. 2. International avant-garde digital cinema residency, Italy, 2023.
Co-Production and Distribution Award for The Unknown Painting.
Andromeda – Who destroyed Nord Stream?. Mockumentary,
06:51 min., 2023.
IM KASTEN – Short Film Festival Lüneburg. Germany, 2024. 20minmax – International Short Film Festival Ingolstadt. Germany, 2024. 44. European Film Festival Göttingen. Germany, 2023. SHORTS – Trinational FilmFestival Offenburg University of Applied Sciences. Germany, 2023.
Rezyklierung. Animation, 01:01 min., 2023.
Synthetic Realities: Authenticity in the Age of AI Imagery. Galerie Met, Germany, 2025. State of the Art 14. Germany, 2023.
Unbelievable Images. How are deceptively real AI fake evidence images created? Workshops, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 2023.
Introduction to AI Image Generation using Stable Diffusion and Automatic1111. Seminar, HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 2023.
2022
Studies, you have changed. Documentary, 14:04 mins, 2022.
Mannheim Arts and Film Festival. Germany, 2022 (Honorable Mention). SHORTS – Trinational FilmFestival Offenburg University of Applied Sciences Offenburg. Germany, 2023.
DOKFILMSCHAU Hildesheim. Germany, 2022.