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Belgrade, May 25, 2025 – The winner of the Best AI Film category at this year’s AI FILMFEST SERBIA 2025 is the stunning short film “SANTIAGO”, directed by Emmy-nominated creative director and producer Kirill Karnovich-Valua from Slovenia.
SANTIAGO is a groundbreaking adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s Nobel Prize-winning novel The Old Man and the Sea, reimagined entirely with the help of artificial intelligence. Created to honor the author’s 125th birthday, the film uniquely features Hemingway “narrating” his own work — using an AI-generated voice built from public archival recordings via ElvenLabs.
This 9-minute and 45-second cinematic tribute is the result of months of work and the application of cutting-edge AI tools:
- 2,200+ AI-generated images via Midjourney
- Motion and video using Runway Gen 2 & Gen 3, Luma AI
- Voiceover & sound with ElvenLabs and over 70 sound effects
- Original soundtrack composed using Udio
- Audio mastering via Landr AI
- Image enhancement by Magnific AI / Freepik
🎬 Watch the full film here.
About the Director – Kirill Karnovich-Valua
Kirill is the founder and creative director of Digital Da Vincis, a boutique AI creative studio based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is an Emmy-nominated director whose works have been featured at SXSW, VIFF, the Portland Film Festival, and many others.
He is a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) and has served on numerous prestigious juries including the News & Documentary Emmy® Awards, The One Show, Webby Awards, Cresta, Lovie Awards, and more. Named among the Top 200 Creative Directors globally by The Drum and The One Club for multiple years, Kirill was also listed as one of the Best AI Artists by Curious Refuge.
SANTIAGO is more than an homage — it’s a vivid demonstration of how AI can breathe new life into timeless literature. AI FILMFEST SERBIA 2025 proudly celebrates this film as a landmark in the fusion of technology and storytelling.
🎤 A Special Message from the Director
A personal greeting from Kirill Karnovich-Valua to the participants and visitors of AI FilmFest Serbia 2025 can be viewed at the following link:
👉 Watch the greeting here
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