Official selection submission to the LifeArt AI Film Festival 2026.
« The Little Things » written, directed and produced by Jean-Luc Ithié.
Author: My name is Jean Luc Ithié, a storyteller with a background in literary writing. After more than a decade of authorship, I now create exclusively with generative AI models, exploring new narrative forms at the intersection of technology and emotion.
Synopsis : In a few hours, Marc will leave his home forever. Living with Alzheimer’s disease, he is facing his final day of independence. Through simple daily rituals — coffee, familiar objects, a quiet walk — he tries to hold on to the present before it slips away. By his side, his daughter guides him toward a necessary decision. The Little Things is a sensory farewell to home, autonomy, and freedom.
Director’s Statement : With The Little Things, I sought to capture a moment of transition: the final day when a father, still aware of his own decline, leaves his home for a specialized care unit. Rather than portraying the illness itself, the film focuses on the heightened value of the present moment. The scent of coffee, a morning walk, familiar objects become fragile anchors for a mind beginning to falter. Artificial intelligence was chosen as a creative tool for its ability to generate hybrid, sensory imagery—between realism and dreamlike abstraction. Soft autumn light, restrained micro expressions, and an organic, minimal sound design shape an aesthetic of the “last time.” Here, technology steps back to serve emotion, leaving space for the dignity of a man and the quiet bond he shares with his daughter as they face the inevitable.
Technical Process & AI Implementation : The production of « The Little Things » followed a rigorous « image-to-video » workflow, ensuring high-fidelity visual consistency: • Visual Generation: Initial character and environment concepts were developed using Midjourney and Nano Banana Pro. These static images served as the foundation for the cinematic sequences, which were then animated using Kling 2.6 and Kling 3.0 video generation models. • Audio & Voice Synthesis: To capture the delicate emotional state of the protagonist, I utilized ElevenLabs for advanced voice synthesis. The original musical score was generated via Suno, creating a unique auditory landscape tailored to the film’s somber tone. These elements were complemented by royalty-free atmospheric sound effects from Pixabay. • Post-Production: The final edit was performed using Wondershare Filmora, leveraging its AI-assisted editing features to refine the pacing and visual transitions, ensuring a seamless integration of all generative assets. Submission Statement By combining these diverse AI tools, « The Little Things » stands as a testament to the future of generative AI cinema. It is submitted for consideration in the AI-Generated Films & Animation (Short) and Humanitarian AI Award categories, as it highlights both technical innovation and meaningful societal impact.
