Monism
AIVIE500 does not host this movie. Playback happens on an external platform, which controls availability and regional access.
Synopsis
Set around the active volcano Mount Merapi in Central Java, Monism is a hybrid docu-fiction that explores the tangled intersections of volcanology, mystic animism, and socio-political conflict over resource extraction. Professional and non-professional actors reenact speculative encounters between scientists, miners, and spirits, enhanced by generative artificial intelligence, computer vision simulations, and algorithmic media.
- Studio
- Studio Rizaldi
- Release date
- 2023-07-07
- Language
- ind
AI Filmmaking
Rizaldi combines 16mm film, digital video, and machine-learning-driven visual and auditory synthesis. The film utilizes generative AI models and algorithmic simulations to render non-human perspectives, hallucinatory volcanic landscapes, and speculative synthetic phenomena, bridging computational media with Southeast Asian animist cosmologies.
Score Breakdown
Monism achieved major recognition across the top tier of international avant-garde and documentary festivals, including FIDMarseille, BFI London, and IFFR. It is widely praised for its rigorous theoretical engagement with technology and ecology, demonstrating how generative AI can be integrated into high-art cinematic essay forms without relying on commercial gimmicks.
Recognition
- FIDMarseille (International Film Festival Marseille)2023selection· International Competition
- BFI London Film Festival2023selection· Experimenta Strand
- International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)2024selection· Harbour Section
- Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF)2023selection· Asian Feature Film Competition - Silver Screen Award
- Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival2023selection· Indonesian Screen Awards / Special Selection
AIVIE Pro Ratings
No verified professional ratings yet.
Ranking History
Evidence & Sources
- festival
FIDMarseille programmed Monism in its 2023 International Competition, highlighting its multi-layered blend of documentary, performance, and digital simulation around Mount Merapi.
FIDMarseille - festival
BFI London Film Festival selected Monism for the Experimenta section, celebrating its groundbreaking inquiry into animism, geopolitics, and computational media.
BFI London Film Festival - festival
IFFR showcased the film in 2024, noting its innovative aesthetic synthesis of physical terrain and machine intelligence simulations.
International Film Festival Rotterdam - interview
Director Riar Rizaldi elaborates on employing machine learning and generative algorithmic media to embody non-human entities and explore technological animism.
Artist Statement / Riar Rizaldi Official Portfolio