Ash Koosha said he used AI to make “Dreams of Violets” after exile and security risks blocked a traditional film shoot in Iran.
The Iranian-born filmmaker told The Hollywood Reporter that he had no access to Iran, locations, or people for a full production. He said AI helped him create a memorial film for events he could not film in person.
“Dreams of Violets” will premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 10. The 75-minute fictional docudrama follows five strangers who witness violence during unrest in Tehran.
Koosha made the film with his brother, producer Pooya Koosha, through their AI company Fountain 0. The production used tools including Kling AI, Claude, and Google Gemini.
The filmmakers completed the project in about two to three months for roughly $2,000. Koosha said AI gave independent artists a way to tell stories that budgets and borders often block.
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Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal praised the film as an example of AI supporting human storytelling. The project has also drawn debate over automated art, film labour, and depictions of real suffering.
