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The Kalevala – A Few Selected Poems About Creation

The tale of the Finnish national epic Kalevala has been retold countless times by singers and poets, filmmakers and playwrights. So why not tell it once more – this time with the help of a modern-day Sampo: generative AI?

In this short film, you are cordially invited to join the eternal bard Väinämöinen in a quirky retelling of the epic creation myths – a journey that takes us from the gritty dive bars of Kontula to the mythical landscapes of Pohjola and beyond.

  • Umberto Onza
    Director
  • Juha Snellman
    Writer
  • Ville Hackzell
    Visual Effects
  • Juha Snellman
    Producer
  • Umberto Onza
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Adventure, Comedy, Satire, Fantasy
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 7, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    400 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Finland
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • HIFF – Helsinki International Film Festival
    Helsinki
    Finland
    September 22, 2024
    World Premiere
  • BAIFF – Burano Artificial Intelligence Film Festival
    Venice
    Italy
    October 17, 2024
Director Biography - Umberto Onza

A distinguished and multitalented creative professional, renowned for expertise in Product Design & Innovation, Brand Experience, and Generative AI.

He’s a gifted designer with a truly international perspective and a ready eye for the remarkable – wherever he finds it. Born into a multilingual family with an Italian father and a Finnish mother, this rather rare sort of European mix of cultures has given him both a Nordic persistence and directness – and also the true passion and classical wholistic thinking of a modern Renaissance professional.

Umberto is a internationally recognised design lead who has won numerous high-profile awards for product design and brand experience around the world – including the coveted Red Dot and Eurobest Innovation Gold -award. Currently he is exploring new ways to express himself via AI.

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Director Statement

I believe AI will inevitably influence how films and stories are created in the future. There are ethical and even philosophical dimensions to consider, but ultimately, the responsibility lies with the user: AI can be used for good or bad, rightly or wrongly. Personally, I believe we must experiment and then discuss the results openly. That’s the only way to find responsible ways to use AI.

While we've pushed AI's capabilities to the limit in this film, we didn't want to create just another flashy tech demo. We aimed to tell a unique and entertaining story that pays tribute to the surprises and layers of the original story. I don't think there’s another short film right now that demonstrates this much AI capability in just 20 minutes. But of course, technology is advancing so fast that we might see even more ambitious work as early as next week.