Tribeca Defends Screening of AI-Generated Film ‘Dreams of Violets’ The Tribeca Festival is standing by its decision to include Dreams of Violets, a fully AI-generated feature film, in this year’s lineup despite criticism from viewers and industry observers.
The 74-minute film, centered on Iranian resistance and protest movements, was created without cameras, actors, or traditional film production methods. Filmmakers Ash and Pooya Koosha relied entirely on artificial intelligence tools to produce the movie, reportedly spending just $2,000 US.
A Story Inspired by Iran’s Protest Movement
A trailer released on YouTube describes Dreams of Violets as a “docudrama feature inspired by real events from 47 years of Iranian civilian resistance.”
“Through the eyes of five strangers, it brings protest footage to life with raw immediacy,” the description continues. “At dawn, as Iranian forces execute wounded protesters, a violent soldier discovers the five hiding in a dead-end alley. Above them, Amir, a child in a wheelchair, watches from a window and decides to act.”
The film draws inspiration from years of political unrest in Iran, where protests have erupted over issues including the country’s morality police, compulsory hijab laws, and ongoing economic challenges.
Backlash Over AI Use
While the project has attracted attention for its innovative production process, many viewers have criticized its reliance on artificial intelligence. Most comments on the film’s trailer expressed opposition to the use of AI in filmmaking.
Despite the backlash, Tribeca Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal defended the film’s inclusion.
“The Tribeca Festival has long championed artists who push the boundaries of storytelling and explore new creative frontiers,” she said.
Rosenthal described the project as “a powerful example of how emerging technologies like AI can be used not simply as tools of innovation, but as vehicles for deeply human storytelling.”
She added that festival organizers were impressed not only by “the technological achievement, but the emotional immediacy and urgency of the story itself.”
AI Continues to Divide the Film Industry
The film is scheduled to premiere on June 10 in New York City, joining a growing list of productions that have sparked debate over AI’s role in entertainment.
Some prominent filmmakers have embraced the technology. Director Darren Aronofsky has incorporated AI into projects through his studio, Primordial Soup, while Steven Soderbergh recently defended the use of Meta’s AI tools in his documentary about John Lennon, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Others remain strongly opposed. AI production company Particle6 faced criticism for promoting Tilly Norwood, a fully AI-generated virtual actress. Meanwhile, director James Cameron has argued that AI will never replace actors and artists, and filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro has famously said he would “rather die” than use generative AI in his work.
Director Says AI Made the Film Possible
For writer-director Ash Koosha, AI served as a practical storytelling tool rather than a replacement for creativity.
“This is a specific genre, at least for me,” Koosha told CBC News.
Originally from Tehran and now based in London, Koosha said reports of protesters being killed by Iranian authorities earlier this year motivated him to create the film.
Working during evenings and weekends, he used AI platforms including Kling AI, Claude, Google Gemini, and Nano Banana to build the project quickly and affordably.
Koosha is also the founder of Fountain 0, an AI-focused film and television production company. Dreams of Violets marks the company’s first feature-length release.
According to him, the financial costs, production timeline, and sensitive subject matter would have made a traditionally produced film on the same topic nearly impossible to create independently.
Concerns Over Jobs and Creativity
Not everyone is convinced that AI’s benefits outweigh its risks.
Kate Ziegler, president of ACTRA Toronto, expressed concern about the technology’s potential impact on workers in the film and television industry.
She warned that AI could threaten jobs while undermining “the creative spirit of the humanity in us.”
Ziegler also called for wider discussions about the long-term consequences of AI across multiple industries.
“Our industry, the film and television sector, it is a canary in the coal mine on this,” she said.
Film Festivals Face a New Challenge
According to Richard Lachman, a digital media professor at Toronto Metropolitan University and author of Digital Wisdom: Searching for Agency in the Age of AI, film festivals are increasingly finding themselves caught between innovation and industry concerns.
On one side, there is resistance from creatives worried about AI’s impact on jobs and artistic integrity. On the other, AI has the potential to make filmmaking more accessible.
“This film was made for $2,000 [US], and it’s in festival competition. So there’s a democratizing effect,” he said.
“You don’t have access to a huge film crew and sets and A-list actors? Well, you can still make your unique point of view and get it in a film festival.”
However, Lachman also raised concerns about how audiences may perceive AI-generated visuals that closely resemble real-life footage.
“We have a lot of expectations of, if it looks like a person, if it looks like photojournalism footage, then I’m going to interpret it as photojournalism footage,” he said.
“So I’m a little worried about just cautioning everyone ‘don’t believe what you see’ because then we won’t be able to believe real news footage in the same way.”
A Debate Far From Over
As AI-generated films begin appearing at major festivals, Dreams of Violets has become the latest flashpoint in an ongoing debate over technology’s place in the creative arts. While supporters view AI as a tool that expands access to storytelling, critics fear it could reshape the industry in ways that challenge both artistic authenticity and public trust.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. He holds CAVCO Personnel Number SINH0106. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
