Independent film · Global · 2026Film
Soulless.
A jazz pianist injured in an autonomous-car crash forms a bond with a robotic rehabilitation dog, as public hostility towards AI grows.
- Brand
- Independent film
- Agency
- Yoav Yariv
- Market
- Global
- Region
- Global
- Year
- 2026
The challenge
Explore the tension between dependence on technology and fear of it through an intimate fictional relationship.
The idea
Set in a near-future Japanese city, Soulless pairs an injured musician with Maxwell, a rehabilitation robot he initially distrusts. Their developing bond becomes the emotional centre of a story about care and the consequences of a wider AI backlash. The maker describes a visual approach influenced by 1990s theatrical anime, supported by character reference sheets and detailed continuity rules.
Results
- Festival cash prize: US$10,000.
Case study source: Higgsfield / filmmaker project Source ↗
Awards
- Higgsfield Global Film Festival 2026FreeformHonorable Mention
Credits
- Creator
- Yoav Yariv
- Songwriting
- Yoav Yariv
- Project creator account
- @yoav_yariv