AI Cinematic Realism (AICR) proposes a new framework for the post-camera era, shifting cinema's guiding question from "Is this real?" to "Is this true?" Grounded in embodied cognition and a lineage of realist movements, AICR defines synthetic truth through the Ideational Frame, Three-Strata Model, and accountable authorship.
Beyond the Frame: AI Cinematic Realism as Ethical Genre
What makes an AI-generated image feel real? This essay introduces AI Cinematic Realism as a genre of ethical authorship—where realism is judged not by polish, but by emotional plausibility, ontological stakes, and accountable agency. It’s not a style to imitate, but a genre to invent.