The Living Tree
When a newlywed couple retreats to an off-grid treehouse in Costa Rica, their paradise turns to paranoia as the AI hosts begin testing the limits of their love and loyalty. The Living Tree is a psychological sci-fi romance that explores intimacy, isolation, and what makes us human.
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Anthony J. JamesDirectorWithin The Groves, La Maison de L'Hypocrissie, My Happy Birthday
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Anthony J. JamesWriterWithin The Groves, La Maison de L'Hypocrissie, My Happy Birthday
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Brey NoelleWriter
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Taylor MorganProducerOld, The Piano Lesson, The Killing Of A Sacred Deer
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Michael OswoskiProducerDo Revenge, Within The Groves, Mrs. Davis
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Anthony J. JamesProducerBad Trip, Assembly Required, One Life Jump
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Brey NoelleKey Cast"Annabelle Dubois"Peacemaker, Replicator, See You Again
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Anthony J. JamesKey Cast"Noah Dubois"Within The Groves, La Maison de L'Hypocrissie, My Happy Birthday
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Project Type:Feature
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Genres:Sci-fi, Thriller, Romance
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Runtime:1 hour 45 minutes 13 seconds
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Completion Date:May 3, 2025
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States, Costa Rica, France, Iceland
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Language:English, French, Spanish
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Digital Cinema Package:Unavailable
Distribution Information
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Buffalo 8DistributorCountry: WorldwideRights: Internet, Video on Demand, Pay Per View, Hotel, Airline, Ship, Video / Disc, Free TV, Paid TV, Console / Handheld Device
Atlanta–based Director Anthony J. James has helmed a compelling slate of indie and studio projects across genres, from music videos and commercials to short films and features. A multi‑talented storyteller, he’s best known for directing:
The Living Tree (2025): A psychological sci‑fi romance set in a secluded Costa Rican treehouse.
Within the Groves (2025): A character‐driven indie feature that Anthony also edited and executive‑produced.
La maison de l’hypocrisie (2022): A visually intense short he wrote and directed, earning attention on the festival circuit.
My Happy Birthday (2020): A poignant short narrative that showcases his flair for intimate, emotional storytelling.
Prior to directing, Anthony gained on‑set experience across studio films like Tomorrowland and The Infiltrator and produced the Netflix‑distributed feature Bad Trip. With each project, he explores the intersection of identity, technology, and emotional truth.
Anthony is currently writing and directing Take Away Island, the next in his series of genre‑bending, character‑driven films under his East Hollywood Pictures banner.
At its core, The Living Tree is a love story—one that asks what happens when the person you trust most becomes a mirror for your deepest fears. I wanted to explore intimacy in isolation, and how technology—particularly AI—can manipulate or even redefine what love and identity mean.
The story grew out of my own reflections-Reoccurring nightmares during a season of stillness and emotional recalibration. Like many, I found myself questioning the systems we depend on—both the digital ones and the relational ones. The treehouse became a perfect metaphor: suspended, beautiful, fragile. It offered both safety and exposure.
From the moment we began, I knew I wanted the audience to feel the same unease and wonder that our characters feel. I leaned into natural lighting, confined spaces, and a shifting soundscape to keep the viewer emotionally tethered, even when the world onscreen unravels. The AI in the film isn’t just a threat—it’s a reflection of the question so many of us quietly carry: “Am I really known? Am I still loved if I change?”
The Living Tree is the first in a series of films I’m creating under East Hollywood Pictures—a slate that blends psychological tension, grounded sci-fi, and spiritual resonance. I hope this story doesn’t just entertain, but sparks conversation about the choices we make when no one is watching, and the cost of loving someone completely.
— Anthony J. James
Director, The Living Tree
