Sweden’s Göteborg Film Festival is taking an unconventional approach to spark debate at its 2026 edition by introducing a live lie detector experience for audiences.
The Nordic region’s largest film and television festival announced that selected members of the public will be invited to undergo voluntary polygraph tests conducted by professional examiner Ørjan Hesjedal. The tests will take place inside a specially built interrogation room, complete with cameras, lighting and physiological monitoring, turning the exercise into a performative public experiment.
The initiative reflects the festival’s central theme for 2026, which focuses on truth and its value in contemporary society. According to organisers, participants who are deemed truthful will receive a “Truth Ticket” granting access to a festival screening, effectively turning honesty into a form of cultural currency.
Artistic director Pia Lundberg said the idea aims to question how easily truth is negotiated today. By attaching real consequences to lying and rewards to honesty, the festival hopes to prompt reflection on the role of facts, personal narratives and accountability in public life.
The lie detector project follows Göteborg’s tradition of experimental audience engagement. In 2021, the festival gained global attention when it isolated a healthcare worker at a remote lighthouse for a week with only films for company, highlighting changing viewing habits during the pandemic.
As part of its broader focus on truth, the festival will also screen a curated selection of films exploring the theme, ranging from political satire to documentary and courtroom drama.
In addition, a short black comedy video released online features Swedish actors Alexander Karim and David Dencik in a darkly humorous interrogation scenario tied to the festival’s concept.
The 49th Göteborg Film Festival will run from January 23 to February 1.
