Tribeca to screen first full-length AI-generated film in major festival debut
The 75-minute dramatization, created using tools from Google, Kling and Anthropic, will premiere on June 10, coinciding with broader industry adoption of generative tech by major streamers.
The Tribeca Festival will premiere Dreams of Violets on June 10, marking the first time a full-length, live-action film generated entirely by artificial intelligence has been accepted into a major film festival’s main program. The 75-minute fictional dramatization was produced for $2,000 by brothers Ash and Pooya Koosha through their company, Fountain 0.
The film depicts the Iranian government’s mass killing of protestors in January 2026. According to a press release, the work is based on journalistic reports, photographs and eyewitness accounts. The creators state that the people and images within the film were fully created by AI, distinguishing it from previous AI-generated projects that screened at side events, such as Hell Grind at the Cannes Film Festival.
To produce the film, the Koosha brothers utilised a suite of specific generative tools. Google’s Nano Banana was employed for image generation, Kling AI handled video creation, and Anthropic’s Claude was used for language editing. Ash Koosha serves as CEO of Fountain 0, while Pooya Koosha co-founded the company. The brothers left Iran in 2009.
The debut comes as artificial intelligence has become an increasingly prominent tool within Hollywood. Netflix has established an AI animation studio and acquired Ben Affleck’s AI startup, while Amazon’s Prime Video recently ordered three AI-generated animation series. Other projects, such as the film Critterz which was powered by OpenAI’s now-shuttered Sora tool, are currently seeking new AI partners.
Acknowledging the industry's concerns, the Koosha brothers noted the sensitivities surrounding AI’s impact on livelihoods. In their release, they stated they share the worries of those working in the movie industry regarding the unknown implications of the technology. However, they added that the film would not have been possible without the AI capabilities they developed.
The screening at Tribeca follows earlier reporting by The Hollywood Reporter on the film and the specific tools utilised in its production. Dreams of Violets represents a significant shift in the accessibility of film production, demonstrating how low-budget projects can leverage advanced generative models to create full-length narratives.
