Private Project

Ideal Friend

In the not-so-distant future, Alice finds herself stranded on a remote beach and must make a life-defining choice with the help of her neuro-implanted AI companion, prompting an exploration of the consequences of human reliance on technology.

  • SERHII ALOSHECHKIN
    Director
    Morena
  • SERHII ALOSHECHKIN
    Writer
    Morena
  • Maksym Chernysh
    Writer
    Dovbush
  • Pylyp Illienko
    Producer
    Slovo House. Unfinished Novel.
  • Rostyslav Martyniuk
    Producer
    Slovo House. Unfinished Novel
  • Angelika Petrovska
    Key Cast
    "Alice"
    Slovo House. Unfinished Novel
  • Didier Marouani
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Sci-Fi
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 15, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Ukraine
  • Country of Filming:
    Cyprus, France
  • Language:
    Ukrainian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Illienko Film Productions LLC
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - SERHII ALOSHECHKIN

Serhii Aloshechkin
Director, Writer, Cinematographer

Serhii Aloshechkin is a Ukrainian director, screenwriter, and cinematographer, born in 1974 in Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia region. He studied under Yuriy Illienko at the Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema, and Television (1994–1999).
Over the past two decades, Serhii Aloshechkin has directed and shot numerous films for television and cinema. His work often explores philosophical and psychological themes, blending visual precision with genre experimentation.
His latest feature film Morena (2024), a psychological horror, received the Best Feature Film Award at the Tokyo Horror Film Festival. In Ideal Friend (2025), Aloshechkin explores—for the first time in Ukrainian cinema—the ethical and emotional implications of artificial intelligence.
He is also known for his early short Hoverla (2004), the mini-series Cuckoo (2010), and numerous television films produced between 2005 and 2014.

Selected Filmography

• 2025 – Short Sci-Fi Film Ideal Friend
Director, cinematographer, screenwriter
Production: Illienko Film Productions LLC, Kyiv

• 2024 – Feature film Morena
Director, cinematographer, screenwriter
Production: Ganza Film, Kyiv

Best Feature Film, Tokyo Horror Film Festival 2024
• 2010 – TV limited series (4 episodes) Cuckoo
Director
Production: Nova Studio LLC

• 2009 – TV feature film House for Two
Director
Production: Nova Studio LLC, Kyiv

• 2008 – TV limited series (4 episodes) Another Chance
Director
Production: Nova Studio LLC

• 2004 – Short film Hoverla (30 min, color, 35 mm)
Director, screenwriter
Production: Western European Institute, Kyiv

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Director Statement

AI is steadily, and often subtly, becoming an integral part of our daily lives, embedding itself into our consciousness. With each passing year, our dependence on it grows deeper. As the influence of AI expands, the inevitable conflict between humanity and technology becomes more apparent. As the saying goes, “You can’t ride two horses with one saddle.” This conflict lies at the core of my film.

The choice of the desert as the primary filming location is symbolic. The desert evokes a sense of isolation and desolation. It represents a world where technology has supplanted human presence, leaving individuals struggling for survival in an inhospitable environment. The barren landscape amplifies the idea that humanity has lost its rightful place, underscoring the moral dilemmas of over-relying on artificial intelligence and the potential consequences that follow.