Marcel, a solitary Parisian dancer born with a facial malformation, withdraws from the world — until a woman decides to approach him, and the two form a deep bond.
Written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Robert (Bob) Gaudette, this AI short won the $50,000 Grand Prix at Runway's AI Film Festival (AIFF) 2026 and, months later, the Reply AI Film Festival 2026 (announced September 6, 2026, during the 83rd Venice International Film Festival) under a jury led by Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores, beating more than 3,000 submissions from 76 countries. Made with Grok, Nano Banana, and Seedance — Gaudette has said AI was the only practical way to make the film without a budget, cast, or crew. He has since co-founded Nolia Studios, an AI-native production company in Toronto, with TV producer Kirk Hipkiss.