The Debut of ‘Dreams of Violets’ at Tribeca Festival

The docudrama Dreams of Violets premiered at the Tribeca Festival, marking a shift in how some in Hollywood view technology. Every image in the film was created by generative artificial intelligence. The project’s budget was about $2,000, according to its executive producer.

Filmmakers Malia Mendez and Matt Stevens reported on the event. Malia Mendez covered the premiere in New York, while Matt Stevens wrote from Los Angeles.

Ash Koosha, who faced the aftermath of an internet blackout in Tehran during a severe government crackdown earlier this year, spearheaded the film. Despite having Iranian roots, he was in London at the time. The lack of visual evidence from Tehran prompted Koosha to collaborate with his brother, Pooya Koosha, on the 75-minute film. Not a single scene was shot in the traditional sense; the entire project was orchestrated from a London apartment.

Speed matters here, right? Koosha emphasized the urgency of their work. Since leaving Iran in 2009, Koosha became a first-time filmmaker with this project. The film represents a memorial to a time when regular journalism faced numerous challenges.

With no actors, sets, or cameras involved, the script was fully written by Ash Koosha. The movie unfolds with scenes of officers discharging weapons, fires igniting streets, and a child witnessing the turmoil.