Exploring Digital Intimacy: Insights from ‘Virtual Girlfriends’ @Hot Docs 2026

During Hot Docs 2026, FERNTV sat down with Barbora Chalupová to discuss her provocative new documentary, Virtual Girlfriends, a film that explores the emotional and economic realities behind the world of OnlyFans creators. Chalupová spoke about the following three women over the course of a year as they navigated digital intimacy, financial independence, and the blurred lines between performance and personal identity. Throughout the conversation, she emphasized that the film was never intended to sensationalize online sex work, but rather to examine how technology, loneliness, and monetized relationships are reshaping human connections in modern society.

In the interview, Chalupová also reflected on the emotional vulnerability shared by both the creators and the subscribers featured in the documentary, revealing how the film uncovers deeper themes of validation, isolation, and the search for affection in virtual spaces. She discussed the trust that developed between herself and the women featured in the film, allowing audiences to witness both the confidence they project online and the private struggles they experience offline. FERNTV’s conversation highlighted how Virtual Girlfriends goes beyond the surface of internet culture to become a thoughtful commentary on digital relationships, social media dependency, and the changing definition of intimacy in today’s online world.

Click on the video below to watch our interview with Barbora Chalupová