Kottayam filmmaker’s AI short ‘The Light’ heads to Cannes AI film awards

Kottayam: Sachu Mathew Kuruvila from Kottayam is on cloud nine. The Light, his six-minute debut short, has earned a spot at the AI Film Awards, an international event that ‘celebrates the transformative fusion of artificial intelligence with cinematic and advertising innovation.

’Sachu’s short is headed to the Cannes edition of the awards. The AI Film Awards held its first Cannes edition in 2024.

Since AI films are still in their nascence, Sachu is especially excited about the recognition. “It’s a new language of filmmaking, and to be selected at this stage means a lot,” he said.

What makes the achievement special is that making films was a dream he carried since school. Adding to that, Sachu is self-taught. He learned AI tools, editing, and visual storytelling through online resources and trial-and-error, building The Light without formal film training or a traditional crew.

The six-minute film was created using generative AI for visuals, voice, and elements of score, with Sachu handling direction, prompting, and post-production. Details of the plot remain under wraps ahead of its Cannes screening.