Experiencing Interruptions?

Protopica

Protopica is a realm where you can envision future possibilities and explore forgotten pasts. It fosters belonging and empathy, posing the question: “What if our lives are the result of choices made long before our existence?”

  • Manuel Sainsily
    Director
  • Will Selviz
    Director
  • Manuel Sainsily
    Writer
  • Will Selviz
    Writer
  • Manuel Sainsily
    Producer
  • Will Selviz
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Caribbeanofuturism, Sci-Fi
  • Runtime:
    1 minute 34 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada, Guadeloupe, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Vancouver International Film Festival
    Vancouver, BC
    Canada
    October 4, 2024
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection for SIGNALS Exhibition
  • Hyper Lite
    Winnipeg
    Canada
    November 18, 2024
Distribution Information
  • OpenAI
    Distributor
    Country: United States
    Rights: Internet
Director Biography - Manuel Sainsily, Will Selviz

Manuel Sainsily is a TEDx Speaker, and XR Instructor at McGill University & UMass Boston. Born in Guadeloupe, and Canadian citizen based in Montreal where he completed his Master of Science in Computer Sciences, he is a trilingual public speaker, designer, and educator with over 15 years of experience who champions the responsible use and understanding of artificial intelligence. From delivering a Masterclass on AI Ethics and speaking at worldwide tech, film, and gaming conferences, to being celebrated by NVIDIA, Mozilla Rise25 & SkillShare, and producing art exhibitions with Meta, OpenAI & VIFFest, Manuel amplifies the conversation around cultural preservation and emerging technologies such as Spatial Computing, AI, Real-Time 3D, Haptics, and BCI through powerful keynotes and curated events.

—

Venezuelan-born Will Selviz is a trailblazer in immersive media and experiential design. His diverse upbringing across Latin America, the Middle East, and Canada fuels his innovative approach to digital storytelling. A Clio Award winner and SXSW XR director, Will seamlessly blends traditional and cutting-edge technologies.

Will’s expertise brings tech adoption for industry giants like Nike, Meta, NBA, Microsoft, and OpenAI. Passionate about neuroscience and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology, he aims to fuse creativity with scientific rigor. Drawing on his computer science and design background, Selviz crafts inclusive experiences that foster a sense of belonging.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Protopica explores how our lives are shaped by choices made long before us, blending heritage and future possibilities in a way that feels both personal and universal. Using Sora’s AI tools, we crafted a seamless, dreamlike aesthetic that celebrates cultural preservation, especially through the use of Guadeloupean Creole voiceover—a tribute to our roots and the beauty of lesser-known languages.

This film is our way of showing how advanced technology can honor the past and inspire the future. Protopica invites viewers to reflect on identity, heritage, and belonging, sparking conversations that connect us to a shared cultural legacy.