Published October 2, 2026
Alum's Documentary "Dad Genes," Premiered at Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, Comes to Buffalo
Matt Isaac (BA Studio Art / Media Study, 1993) has produced an award-winning documentary, Dad Genes, screening at the Buffalo International Film Festival (BIFF) next week, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, 4:30 PM - 6:15 PM, Scene One Market Arcade 8.
Matt Isaac
Matt Isaac (BA, Studio Art / Media Study, 1993) is a New York-based film producer. During his time in Buffalo in the 1990s, he was the film programmer for the UB student film program, the film curator at Hallwalls, and the education coordinator at CEPA Gallery.
About Dad Genes
Dad Genes, a feature documentary film produced by Matt Isaac, had its international premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in Greece, one of the world's leading documentary festivals. The film now comes to Buffalo, screening at the Buffalo International Film Festival on Saturday, October 10 at 4:30 PM at the Scene One Market Arcade Cinemas (639 Main Street). Isaac, now based in New York City, will attend the screening and Q&A.
The film also had its U.S. premiere at Dances With Films: New York in New York City, and has screened at the Atlanta Documentary Film Festival, where it won the Best Documentary Jury Award, and the San Antonio Film Festival, among many others.
Dad Genes tells a surprisingly true story that drew worldwide media attention: a former sperm donor discovers through DNA testing that he may have more than 60 biological children, and gradually forms an unconventional family.
Instagram: @dadgenesmovie
Festival highlights:
- Sold-out International Premiere at Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival 2026
- U.S. Premiere at Dances With Films: New York 2026
- Best Documentary Jury Award at the Atlanta Documentary Film Festival 2026
- Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction Award at the New Jersey Documentary Film Festival 2026
Review highlights:
- “An internationally acclaimed documentary with an unbelievable premise…sounds like a work of fiction.” — CTV News
"An incredible story to tell...Engaging, intriguing...A thoughtfully crafted work that expands our understanding of what family can look like today." — Tony An, YNOT at the Movies
"Dad Genes succeeds by knowing what kind of story it wants to be…a study of human adaptability, filtered through one man's unexpected reckoning with responsibility and connection." ★★★★☆ — Chris Jones, Overly Honest Movie Reviews
“A documentary with a shockingly true story.” — Amanda Hicks, CP24
"A completely true, completely outrageous and at the same time enjoyable story of family madness, love, tenderness and genuine emotion, full of twists and turns that rival the most inventive fiction. The most crucial, however, are the questions that the film, with a wisely light tone, poses: what constitutes family after all and what is its importance in the 21st century." — Thodoris Koutsogiannopoulos, LiFO (Greece)